About

WIMBI LA SANAA FESTIVAL 2025

The Wimbi La Sanaa Festival 2025 successfully created a platform for artistic growth and exchange, enabling artists to network, learn, and showcase their work to new audiences. Audiences experienced a diverse and engaging program ranging from performance, film, visual arts that encouraged discovery, dialogue, and cultural connection from 7 countries represented, reinforcing the festival’s value to both the creative community and the public.

The audience and artists were able to experience art across 4 venues, further embracing the diversity of Mombasa city.

HIGHLIGHTS OF WIMBI LA SANAA FESTIVAL

Provided a platform for 114 artists to showcase diverse artistic works over 5 days.

8 Countries Represented Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa, Belgium, Poland, Germany, Czech

Showcased multiple art forms including theatre, music, visual arts, film, henna arts, food arts.

The artworks a ddressed key social issues such as mental health, gender, culture archives, climate change, environment conservation, social justice,

Engaged over 2000+ attendees fostering dialogue between artists, audiences and stakeholders.

Created a rare networking opportunity for artists from Kenya and beyond, and opened avenues for future collaborations.

Provided a market place for artists who also sold their artworks to audiences.

Provided capacity building opportunities for artist from the workshops that were conducted by international experts in the arts.

Brought together the Mombasa community to experience diverse arts and conversations from diverse cultures.

Amplified underrepresented voices reinforcing inclusivity and youth empowerment values.

Cultural preservation through showcase of traditional henna arts and Mijikenda music and poetry.

28th Oct - 1st Nov 2025

DAY 1:FESTIVAL BONANZA

Street Performance
Day One opened on a high note with a vibrant street performance walk attracted more than 150 art enthusiasts, creating strong momentum for the festival We had a theatre performance by Zillas Arts Nairobi, and a Film screening and panel discussion on the State of Film in Kenya. Visual exhibitions.

DAY 1: FESTIVAL BONANZA

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Opening Gala Night

The festival was officially opened by Hon. Mohammed Osman CECM, Tourism, Trade and Culture, County G overnment of Mombasa, restating the county governments support to the creative economy. The day concluded in pomp and color with an African fashion themed gala, highlighted by performances from artists representing Bungoma (KE), Kisumu (KE), Kilifi (KE), and Uganda. The gala offered a lively, celebratory end to an impactful first day of the festival.

Opening Gala Night

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166 participants

Capacity Building of Artists

Participants benefited from professional showcase spaces, artist talks, networking sessions, workshops for capacity building and direct engagement with curators and cultural organizations. We had 5 workshops in the frames of the festival giving an opportunity for emerging artists to learn and build their skills. A total of 166 participants took part in the workshops which were facilitated by experts from Germany, Poland, Tanzania and Czech, exposing emerging artists to global standards and cross cultural collaborations.

DAY 2: BAHARI HURU

‘’Creativity becomes a bridge between culture and conservation, helping the community see the ocean not just as a resource but as part of who we are. When youth create, their vision sets the tone for how communities can reimagine conservation together’’ Ledama Masidza, Ocean Culture Life , Wimbi la Sanaa 2025

Community Engagement

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A key mandate of this year’s festival was to reinforce our commitment to ocean conservation. Building on four successful years of the Bahari Huru Festival, we continued to advocate for and educate the community on the importance of protecting marine ecosystems We brought together artists and community in a beach clean up activity alongside presentation of artworks on marine conservation at the Jomo Kenyatta Public Beach in Mombasa .

DAY 3: FEM FUSION…WOMEN LED ARTS CULTURAL PRESERVATION

The festival also highlighted women led cultures that are on the verge of erasure, reinforcing the role of women in preserving cultures. It highlighted the Swahili tradition of kuna nazi , an important cultural practice for women. The Kishuri dance, a nearly forgotten women only Swahili dance was presented, with the older generation keen on sharing these cultures with a contemporary audience to avoid cultural erasure.

FEM Fusion

Honoring women in the arts…A full day dedicated to celebrating women of all ages thriving across diverse art sectors featured a unique fusion of contemporary and traditional arts including:
✔ Panel discussion on leadership in the arts, from experience to impact of their work in communities in Msa, Kwale, Belgium, Uganda and South Africa.
✔ Swahili Band
✔ Contemporary female hip hop artists

DAY 4: ART COCKTAIL

The event uniquely brought together intergenerational artists from Msa, Kilifi, South Africa, Uganda, Bungoma and Nairobi on one stage. We had a vibrant showcase of visual arts alongside the performances.

Art Cocktail

DAY 5: MUSIC CONCERT

The festival ended on a high note with yet another intergenerational performance from musicians and music as old as day to young and current tunes by young artists. Artists, art lovers, and community members came together to enjoy music performances as we ended this year's festival. We look forward to next year's festival and the amazing artists and artwork that we will have on board.

Music Concert