A Vibrant Space for Artists to Thrive in Tanzania

Nafasi Academy Cohort and Training

Nafasi Academy’s 2025 cohort began with 34 applicants, from which 19 artists were selected (11 male, 8 female, including 2 artists with disabilities) representing diverse regions. Orientation was conducted in February, introducing participants to the programme structure and facilitators.

The Curator and the Self module engaged 17 participants, followed by online mentorship sessions from March to April that established a gender-balanced learning cohort and initiated structured professional development.

Professional Placements and Curatorial Practice

Participants undertook one- to three-month placements at art centres across Tanzania, gaining hands-on experience in exhibitions, programming, and community engagement.

A major curatorial milestone occurred on 14 May 2025 with the Vifichwavyo exhibition at Alliance Française, curated by Getrude Malizeni in collaboration with Nafasi Academy curators, highlighting the contributions of Tanzanian women working in informal sectors.

Workshops and Artistic Capacity Building

Throughout the year, workshops expanded technical and conceptual skills:

• Ink Bleach Technique Workshop (April) – 18 participants
• Drawing from Life Workshop (July) facilitated by Sam Crowley
• Second Drawing from Life session (August) facilitated by Vincent Temu
• Understanding Community Comics workshop led by Nathan Mpangala
• Initiation Welding Workshop with Artist-in-Residence Antony Mutshipule
• Natural Earth Pigments Workshop by Spanish artist Martina González

These sessions strengthened experimentation, community storytelling, and sustainable art practices.

Artist Residencies and Exchanges

Nafasi hosted several resident artists and creative practitioners who facilitated workshops and artistic collaborations. Residencies involved international and regional artists including Martina González (Spain), Antony Mutshipule (DRC), and others, contributing to knowledge exchange and creative production.

Nafasi Film Club (NFC)

The Nafasi Film Club received 19 applications, selecting 13 participants (6 female, 7 male).

The first module, Black and White Silent Films, ran February–April 2025, concluding with a screening and feedback session. Later modules included Color Short Films, culminating in the Mental Screens and Inner Reels screening.

Partnerships with TAFFA, Docubox, Studio 19, and Ajabu Ajabu provided training in directing, scriptwriting, and set design. Pitching sessions with industry experts selected film projects for development and screening.

Exhibitions and Cultural Programming

Nafasi hosted multiple exhibitions addressing themes such as urban marginalisation, environmental justice, identity, and social change. Highlights include:

• The City is Nobody’s Home – 81 attendees
• Abafabazi Exhibition – 153 total participants (122 registered: 59 male, 62 female, 1 non-binary; 99 Tanzanians, 17 foreigners)
• Various exhibitions including The Beautiful Life, Finding the Meaning of Life, Juice, and Storytelling in Amber.

Community and Social Impact Initiatives

Community-based programmes addressed social issues through arts engagement:

• Theatre intervention in Mlamleni Village trained over 20 artists to address violence against children through performance.
• Children’s Rights and Menstrual Justice – An Artistic Manifesto engaged 121 registered participants (51 male, 64 female, 6 children) with 201 recorded visits.

Festivals and Public Events

Major public events included:

Wikiendi Live Festival (26–27 September 2025)

• Day 1: 331 registered participants (194 male, 137 female, 58 children) with 701 total attendees.
• Day 2: 350 registered participants (197 male, 139 female, 14 non-binary, 78 children) with 458 attendees.

Tukutane Dar Arts Week 2025

• Hosted over 2000 participants with 40 international delegates from countries including Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, DR Congo, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Canada, Poland, Germany, and Finland.

Grants and Artist Support

The Feel Free Grant Programme 2025 received 94 applications:

• 87 from Tanzanian artists, 7 international
• 31 women, 57 men, and 5 organisations
• 69 applications from Dar es Salaam, 25 from other regions

The programme concluded with a Final Showcase on 5 December 2025, where 10 grantees presented completed projects.

Audience Engagement and Marketing Growth

Audience reach expanded through digital and public programming:

• Instagram followers increased from 21,000 to 26,000 in 2025.
• Nafasi Gallery Instagram grew from 200 to 702 followers (251% increase).
• Nafasi Academy Instagram grew from 1,000 to 1,224 followers (22.4%).
• Website traffic reached 20.6K views and 10.1K visitors, a 24–26% increase.

Institutional Development and Governance

Internal meetings and training sessions strengthened organisational capacity. In May, discussions covered programme alignment and introduced the new Visual Arts Manager, Frivola Force.

A Protection from Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (PSEAH) refresher training reinforced safeguarding practices, reporting mechanisms, and accountability across staff and members.

Overall Impact

Across 2025, Nafasi Art Space strengthened its role as a leading cultural platform in Tanzania, supporting artists through training, residencies, grants, exhibitions, and public programmes while expanding audiences locally and internationally. The programmes contributed to artist development, cultural dialogue, and social engagement across the creative sector.

Links:

• The Full Report of all programs are available here