The British Council has officially announced the launch of the UK/Kenya Season 2025—a dynamic cross-cultural programme aimed at strengthening ties between the United Kingdom and Kenya through a vibrant series of artistic and educational exchanges.
Responding to a growing demand for international collaboration in the creative industries, the Season brings together artists, cultural institutions, communities, and educational bodies from both countries. It seeks to spark meaningful engagement, foster long-term partnerships, and explore the vital role creativity plays in shaping society.
Spanning music, film, visual arts, architecture, fashion, design, literature, and more, the UK/Kenya Season 2025 will feature a rich calendar of public events in both countries. At its core, the initiative celebrates mutual respect and shared innovation between Kenya and the UK, building on the UK-Kenya Strategic Partnership agreed in 2020 by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and former President Uhuru Kenyatta. This strategic alliance is built around five key pillars: mutual prosperity, security and stability, sustainable development, climate action, and people-to-people links.
The Season reflects a commitment to culture and education as powerful tools for diplomacy, inclusion, and innovation. It represents a deepening of the UK’s cultural diplomacy efforts and underscores Kenya’s importance as a strategic partner in the region.
A Landmark Collaboration: The British Pavilion at La Biennale di Venezia
A major highlight of the Season is the British Pavilion at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition at La Biennale di Venezia. For the first time, the Pavilion features a unique UK-Kenya collaboration, curated by an interdisciplinary team: Kabage Karanja and Stella Mutegi of Nairobi-based studio Cave_bureau; UK curator Owen Hopkins; and academic Professor Kathryn Yusoff. Their exhibition, Geology of Britannic Repair, explores architecture as an earth-centric practice, critically examining the intertwined legacies of colonisation and construction.
Supporting New Voices and Partnerships
As part of the lead-up to the Season, the British Council launched an Open Call in 2024, providing Catalyst Grants of up to £5,000 to support emerging collaborations between UK and Kenyan creatives. Nineteen projects were selected to lay the foundation for cross-border partnerships, and eleven of those have received additional funding to showcase their work during the 2025 Season.
Sandra Chege, Head of Arts at the British Council Kenya and Director of the UK/Kenya Season, emphasized the importance of inclusion and mutual exchange:
“We’ve been intentional about involving diverse voices from both Kenya and the UK. These partnerships are designed to have long-term impact and reflect Kenya’s ambition to grow its creative economy. Our goal is to position creativity not only as an economic driver but as a catalyst for dialogue, innovation, and deeper human connection.”
UK Partnerships and Community Engagement
In the UK, the Season is being delivered in collaboration with The Africa Centre—an iconic cultural institution in London committed to showcasing Africa’s global diaspora for over six decades. The Season also enjoys support from the British High Commission in Kenya and the Kenya High Commission in the UK.
Olu Alake, CEO of The Africa Centre, shared his excitement:
“This Season is a fantastic opportunity to spotlight Kenya’s thriving arts and culture scene. It allows UK audiences, especially those in the diaspora, to reconnect with and learn from a new generation of Kenyan creatives. We’re thrilled to help bring this vision to life.”
Education as a Central Focus
In addition to arts and culture, education is a key pillar of the Season. Initiatives like the Learning and Design Lab—part of the UK–Kenya University Partnerships—will bring together students, academics, and industry leaders to co-create solutions to real-world challenges, such as climate resilience. These efforts mirror the British Council’s long-standing mission to promote global citizenship and inclusive education.
The UK/Kenya Season 2025 reaffirms the British Council’s enduring relationship with Kenya. It centres youth voices, embraces technology, addresses the climate crisis, and explores cultural heritage and identity—fostering dialogue and broadening perspectives across borders.
About the British Council
The British Council is the United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. Through programmes in arts and culture, education, and the English language, we build trust, connection, and understanding between people in the UK and around the world. In 2022–23, we engaged with over 600 million people globally, working in more than 100 countries and territories.