The Skills for Culture: Cultural Heritage in Kenyan Counties Report, provides key findings and recommendations arising from qualitative research conducted by the African Digital Heritage, interrogating how devolution has affected cultural heritage management in the counties in Kenya.
This report spotlights how dynamics of value, audiences, public awareness and government support differ, especially for cultural programs at county level. It also looks into challenges faced by county governments to establish and define their cultural mandate, while examining ways in which community cultural initiatives require support to effectively engage with cultural heritage in a new and inclusive way.
Furthermore, it also aims to contribute to a broader learning and policy agenda of the cultural heritage space in Kenya – one that generates real-time solutions capable of strengthening efforts to address the skills gaps in the sector, shift engagement, participation, and awareness, and drive systemic change within the cultural heritage space.
The Skills for Culture: Cultural Heritage in Kenyan Counties Report presents key findings and recommendations under core thematic areas, namely:
- Progress in devolution of culture and heritage work in Kenyan counties
- Recognition and engagement of communities and cultural practitioners in culture and heritage space at county level
- Nature of collaborations with different stakeholders in the protection, preservation, conservation and promotion of cultural heritage at county level
- Status of relationship between the county cultural departments and community groups
- Digitization and archival management capacities within counties.
- Sustainable funding and fundraising mechanisms in counties
- Impact of devolution of culture in the counties
- Sustainability of cultural heritage work in Kenya.
This report informs a skills toolkit, specially curated for community-based cultural heritage practitioners, looking to grow their expertise and programs. Special thanks to all the practitioners who provided unique insight into what it takes to run programs at county level, 10 years after the promulgation of the Kenyan Constitution and the implementation of the devolved system of governance. Thank you also the British Council without whom this work would not have been possible.