Place: Kenya
The Nest Collective is a multidisciplinary collective living and working in Nairobi, Kenya.
Founded in 2012, the Nest Collective has created works in film, music, fashion, visual arts and literature, such as the critically-acclaimed queer anthology film Stories of Our Lives, which has so far screened in over 80 countries and won numerous awards. In 2013, the Nest Collective also founded HEVA—Africa’s first creative business fund of its kind—to strengthen the livelihoods of East Africa’s creative entrepreneurs. In 2018, the Nest Collective founded the Strictly Silk program—a dance party and multimedia space that centres joy, safety and community for women and non-binary people of all origins, faiths and generations.
Our work—being born in Nairobi—makes strongest reference to African urban and contemporary experiences, establishing this as our primary datum for inquiry on our histories and reflections about possible futures. While our work often responds to and is aware of interconnected issues at a global scale, we primarily address Kenyan young men and women, and are excited when the work speaks to other audiences.
Focus: Literature, Talks and Discussions, Publishing, Archives, Knowledge, Writing, Multimedia, Library, Education, Video, Exhibitions, Research