Nairobi is hosting the third edition of the Kilele Summit from 23 to 28 February 2026, a six-day music, art, and culture festival that brings together musicians, technologists, and creative practitioners from across East Africa and beyond under the theme “Sound and Solidarity.” The summit blends live performances, artist residencies, workshops, installations, and panel discussions, with the aim of fostering cross-generational and cross-border creative collaboration. This year’s edition features Ugandan DJ and selector Kampire, UK record producer Martin ‘Youth’ Glover, who has collaborated with Paul McCartney and Pink Floyd, and South African electronic music artist Mxshi Mo, who will develop new accessible instruments in collaboration with the Instrument Makers Lab.
Key points
- The Kilele Summit runs 23 to 28 February 2026 at The Mall in Westlands, Nairobi, and other locations
- This year’s theme is “Sound and Solidarity,” focused on creative collaboration across generations, locations, and technologies
- Ugandan artist Kampire, UK producer Martin Youth Glover, and South African artist Mxshi Mo are among the performers
- The Embodied Archives Residency sees Swiss musician Mehmet Aslan collaborate with Kenyan artist Jim Chuchu on sound, movement, and voice
- The Pwani Tapes Residency connects Mombasa musicians with Nairobi producers to record four original tracks
- Over half the programme is shaped by submissions from the local and international creative community
- The summit is supported by EUNIC, the Danish Cultural Institute, Pro Helvetia Johannesburg, and the Braid Fund
The Kilele Summit has established itself as one of East Africa’s most distinctive cultural events, combining the intimacy of an artist residency with the energy of a live music festival and the intellectual rigour of a professional conference. Its cross-border approach, connecting artists from Uganda, Kenya, South Africa, Switzerland, and the UK, reflects the increasingly globalised nature of African creative culture, where local sounds and regional identities are being shaped by and contributing to a wider international conversation.
Why it matters: East Africa’s creative economy is growing rapidly, with music, film, and digital media becoming significant employers and export earners across the region. Events like Kilele that invest in artist development and cross-border collaboration are laying the groundwork for a more commercially and culturally powerful creative sector.
Source: Music in Africa
