This was a training where Communis Minds Director, Mr. Patrick Oyenga was the lead Secretariat. The project was led by Prof. Gayle McPherson, Director, Centre for Culture, Sport and Events University of the West of Scotland (UWS) and Prof. Kennedy Mutundu, Associate Professor of Anthropology Mount Kenya University (MKU).

This four-day training workshop is a component of the British Council two-year pilot programme on Cultural Heritage for Inclusive Growth (CH41G), working in Columbia, Kenya and Vietnam, to explore the use of cultural heritage for growth to benefit all levels of society. Cultural heritage when valued, shared and promoted by individuals at every level of society can contribute to both social and economic development. Heritage employed in this way can be a source of sustainability; a way to embed growth in the fabric of society and to celebrate the past in today’s evolving world.

Text Box: Alumni Plaza at Mount Kenya UniversityThere is great potential for cultural heritage around the three main drivers for growth in Kenya: technology, shifting patterns of consumption, and sustainable tourism. Through creating links between cultural heritage, creative economy and tourism, cultural heritage can be reactivated in contemporary culture, stimulating creativity and accessibility.  There is also an opportunity in increasing the accessibility and engagement of Kenya’s museums and library spaces. This includes representing women, youth and people in museum collections and programmes, as well as ensuring representation of women within the leadership of

Artistic Work at British Council dubbed #EastAfricaArts

Alumni Plaza at Mount Kenya University

The program in Kenya will focus on four key interventions. These are:

  1. Valuing: activities that influence community engagement, social action and policy influence
  2. Protecting: working on preservation, conservation, archiving, heritage management and place-making
  3. Learning: training, skills development, capacity building, networking and educational outreach.
  4. Sharing: increasing access, creating spaces and platforms, fostering dialogue and exchange, outreach initiatives. The University of the West of Scotland (UWS) and Mount Kenya University (MKU) was tasked by the British Council to spearhead the “learning” intervention of the programme, which involves training, skills development, capacity building, networking and educational outreach.  MKU-UWS engagement started with an in-depth needs assessment of the cultural sector in Kenya.  Informed by this initial assessment, a programme in cultural heritage skills, knowledge and capacity building was designed for offer to diverse and inclusive groups of practitioners and potential beneficiaries, including cultural and creative professionals, young people, and those who seek cultural heritage as their career. Actors and practitioners of Kenya’s cultural heritage stakeholders can be divided into five categories, namely,
  • Public/governmental Agencies, 2. Private Sector Organizations and Companies 3. Non-governmental organizations, 4. Community Based/Civil Society Organizations, and 5. Individuals.  The categories have different legal frameworks for their functions and operations, which dictate the extent and nature of engagement with the cultural sector in the country. They also have varying types and levels of gaps and needs for skills and training.  Eight areas of needs were identified and assessed, and constitute the key training themes of this workshop. They include: a) Legislative and policy: Copyright law, copyright protection, local laws and national laws/policies)
  • Production and Development: Production and development of quality tangible culture, creation and development of intangible culture
  • Cultural protection and conservation: Institutional legal and policy frameworks, exhibiting, curatorial skills)
  • Inclusive growth: Promoting inclusiveness of groups and social classes, e.g., women, minority, disabled),
  • Promotion and Sharing: Packaging, cultural tourism, exhibiting, sharing/presentation, customer relations
  • Digital literacy and expressions: Digital technology in sharing and presentation, social media skills
  • Training and Careers: Institutional capacities and opportunities, career options and pathing, emerging careers)
  • Fundraising/Resource Mobilization: Partnerships, grant proposal writing, entrepreneurial skills, financial management

The training workshop will be comprised of presentations on the above themes from re-known supporters and practitioners of cultural heritage affiliated with key institutional stakeholders of Kenya’s cultural heritage. The event being a training workshop will be facilitated through presentations, activities, and exercises geared towards knowledge and skills acquisition. 

A team of experts from Mount Kenya University (Prof. Kennedy Mutundu, Dr. Mary Mugwe, Dr. Peter Kirira, Dr. Peter Wekesa, and David Ngira) and the University of the West of Scotland (Prof. Gayle McPhearson, Dr. Allan Moore, and Dr. Steve Collins will be facilitating the training workshop. They will be complimented by expert presentations from the Chief Guest, Dr. Kiprop Lagat (Director of Culture, Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage), and other guest facilitators, namely, Ms. Emily Njeru (Kenya National Commission for UNESCO), Dr. Freda Nkirote (British Institute in Eastern Africa), and Mr. David Waweru (WordAlive Kenya).
 
We wish to thank the British Council for supporting this timely intervention in the conservation, promotion, sand sharing of cultural heritage in Kenya, that we believe will contribute to the socio-economic development of the country through an expanded knowledge and skills base of cultural practitioners and participants of this workshop. We extend our sincere appreciation to our guests and quest speakers, Mount Kenya University and the University of the West of Scotland for supporting this workshop, and for the participants in honouring our invitation.

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