As the curtain for the 97th Edition of the annual Kenya Music Festivals draws, it is high time we asked ourselves hard questions. What next?
After the Nationals and the State Gala, the story of the Kenya Music Festivals often ends abruptly, as if the journey was meant to stop the moment the last note fades or the final bow is taken. The performers, who have spent months honing their craft, perfecting harmonies, mastering choreography, and fine-tuning delivery, return quietly to their schools and communities. The pieces that once stirred emotions, entertained crowds, and impressed adjudicators are locked away in cupboards or left in memory. The artists go back to academic routines, their voices and movements silenced until the next festival season comes around. It is a cycle that repeats every year, full of energy during the season and silent in between, a cycle that wastes more talent than it preserves.
Kenya Music Festivals are not just competitions; they are incubators of raw, authentic Kenyan talent. The nationals and the State Gala showcase the very best from across the country, performances that embody cultural heritage, social commentary, and artistic excellence. But there is no structured path for these performers after the spotlight moves on. A dramatized verse on mental health that brought a hall to tears disappears with no recording, no theatre adaptation, no educational integration. A choir that delivered flawless harmonies returns to singing for assembly and perhaps church, without any chance to record or tour. Dancers who tell stories through movement go back to classrooms, their artistry folded away like the costumes they wore. The talent that could enrich our creative economy, inspire communities, and represent Kenya globally is left idle.
If the purpose of the Kenya Music Festivals is to nurture, celebrate, and promote artistic expression, then the journey cannot end with the nationals. There should be a bridge between the festivals and the wider creative industry. In many countries, similar events act as feeders for professional theatre, music labels, television, film, and cultural tourism. Here, that bridge does not exist. Performers walk off the national stage and step into obscurity, unless they happen to have personal networks or the rare luck of being noticed by someone in the industry.
The most urgent step after the nationals is documentation. Every year, the best of these performances should be recorded professionally and archived in a national digital repository. This would not only preserve cultural memory but also provide a resource for learning, inspiration, and global showcasing. A student in Turkana should be able to watch a winning solo verse from Mombasa, just as an art lover in Nairobi should access an award-winning Kalenjin traditional dance from Kericho. Documentation also opens the door for commercial use, whether in educational resources, media broadcasts, or cultural exhibitions.
READ ALSO:
TSC shakes up Kakamega County schools with 15 principal transfers
Equally important is mentorship and talent incubation. The performers who shine at the nationals should not return home without a follow-up plan. There should be talent incubation programmes—short courses, workshops, and internships—where these artists refine their craft under the guidance of professionals in music, theatre, film, or media production. A winning actor should be introduced to directors at the Kenya National Theatre; a gifted singer should get studio time with experienced producers; a powerful spoken word artist should be connected to literary festivals and book fairs. Without mentorship, the flame that burns brightly at the festivals risks dimming from neglect.
Counties have a golden opportunity here. With devolved governance, cultural development no longer needs to be dictated from Nairobi. Counties can identify their top festival performers and invest in them year-round. They could host post-festival galas to showcase local talent to residents and tourists, sponsor tours within the county, or develop cultural events that feature these acts as headline performers. Creative Arts Centres could be established as safe spaces for training, rehearsals, recording, and public performances, ensuring that talent nurtured during the festivals is kept alive.
Corporate sponsorship is another missing link. The nationals and State Gala attract the best of the best, yet private sector engagement is minimal. Businesses could adopt festival winners as brand ambassadors, sponsor recordings, or integrate performances into corporate events. A dramatized verse on environmental conservation could be supported by a green energy company; a choral piece on road safety could be backed by an insurance firm. Such partnerships would give artists exposure and provide companies with authentic, homegrown content aligned with their messaging.
There is also an international dimension we ignore. Kenya’s cultural richness is marketable globally, and the festivals are a natural talent bank. The very best performances could be curated into cultural exchange programmes, international arts festivals, or tourism promotions abroad. Our embassies, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, could take these performances to diaspora audiences hungry for home-grown artistry. Cultural diplomacy has long been a powerful tool in other nations; Kenya has the talent to use it, but the systems to make it happen are weak.
Technology offers yet another path. With a dedicated Kenya Music Festivals online platform, performances could be live-streamed, archived, and monetized. Clips could be shared on social media to attract wider audiences and potential investors. Young performers could build followings online, creating opportunities for collaborations beyond the school setting. A choir’s performance could go viral and open doors to recording deals; a traditional dance troupe could attract invitations to perform internationally. The world is more connected than ever, and the festivals must leverage that.
Ultimately, the question of “where does this talent go” after the nationals is a test of how seriously we take the arts as part of our national development. If we see the festivals merely as co-curricular activities to fill the school calendar, then the answer will always be: the talent goes back into silence. If, however, we view them as strategic pillars of our creative economy, then the nationals and State Gala should be beginnings, not endings. The applause at the festival should be the starting gun for a journey into bigger stages, professional careers, and cultural impact.
What happens after the nationals should be deliberate and structured. The best performances must be documented, the most promising artists mentored, the counties mobilized, the corporate sector engaged, the international community invited, and technology embraced. Without such a strategy, we will keep losing talent to neglect and inaction. We will keep telling stories about how good the performances were instead of telling stories about how far they went.
The Kenya Music Festivals hold in their songs, dances, and stories a reflection of who we are as a people and who we can become. If we truly value this, then the road beyond the nationals must be paved with opportunity, not indifference. The curtain call should not be the end – it should be the opening of a much larger stage.
By Ashford Kimani
Ashford teaches English and Literature in Gatundu North Sub County and serves as Dean of Studies
You can also follow our social media pages on Twitter: Education News KE and Facebook: Education News Newspaper for timely updates.
>>> Click here to stay up-to-date with trending regional stories
>>> Click here to read more informed opinions on the country’s education landscape
>>> Click here to stay ahead with the latest national news.
