Kenyan govt rolls out COVID-19 relief fund for artists

The stimulus was provided by the Sports, Arts and Social Development Fund following an executive order issued by President Uhuru Kenyatta on 6 April. The order directed the ministry to avail 100 million Kenyan shillings in support of creatives during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking to members of the media at the Kenya Cultural Centre, the cabinet secretary for Sports, Culture and Heritage, Amina Mohamed, said creatives would be paid for the production of works geared towards the sensitisation of COVID-19. The produced content would be shared through various online platforms such as Kulture TV and other media outlets. A mobile phone application would also be created to distribute content. 

“This campaign will use entertainment to centralise three crucial aspects of our society: the importance of new avenues for work, creative community education and sustained mental well-being for all Kenyans during this period,” she said.

“The 100 million Kenyan shillings are therefore not a reservoir of free funds but a provision to educate, innovate, sustain and improve our output as a sector. Taking into account that the number of artists in the country is estimated to be way above 100 000, giving cash handouts would have been ineffective.”

The campaign will be spearheaded by several government agencies and departments, which are expected to release the criteria for engaging the creatives later this week.

The Permanent Presidential Music Commission (PPMC) will implement the campaign in the music sector by engaging musicians and dancers to create awareness, sensitisation and educational content relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Other government agencies involved in the implementation of the campaign are the Kenya Film Commission, the Kenya Cultural Centre, and National Museums of Kenya.

The campaign is expected to directly engage about 20 000 musicians, actors and visual artists in Kenya's 47 counties. Content by creatives from vulnerable groups and persons living with disabilities will constitute 30% of the overall content.