Critical creatives

The R.O.O.M program partnered with a group of 21 experienced critical creatives across different mediums from East, Southern and Northern Africa to mentor younger creatives on:

1. Being self-sufficient 
2. Creative editorial independence
3. Reaching wider audiences 
4. The importance of history and memory in critical audio-visual content
5. Physical and mental wellbeing in times of Covid-19

These artists have become a creative force in fostering free expression by questioning repressive hegemonic narratives in their respective societies. Even in the time of a pandemic. 

They enable greater dialogue, debate and dissent in the countries where they operate. And they offer us a window into the role of arts, culture and creativity in solving some of the most pressing issues in the world.

Voices featured in the videos

Nael Eltoukhy: All things affect one another

Nael Eltoukhy is an Egyptian novelist, translator, and journalist.

A fiction writer obsessed with Arabic language, Nael Eltoukhy shares his thoughts on "gazing into a sentence" in order to deeply engage with the act of writing. He stresses the importance of learning how to float in writing and in life, enjoying every moment and drawing from every experience to create art, and indeed existence, that fits seamlessly into the greater universe.

B’Flow: Activism through art

B’Flow is an artist who focuses on humanitarian support and expression through his music. Based in Zambia, he has built a large social media presence through activism and challenging systems that are detrimental to society. 

In his letter to younger creatives he tells how he and his music have evolved, impacted by both his activism and the Covid-19 pandemic. It is a detailed story of the steps he has taken to be the artistic force he is in the country and how many can learn from him.

Stella Nyanzi: The role of criticality in art

Stella is a Ugandan human rights activist who has been vocal about social injustice in her country. She uses the power poetry to champion social justice and challenge those in power.    

In the video, she speaks of how she would have benefited from an older “critic”, an artist and creative at the onset of her career who could share the secret of how to succeed as an artist while remaining critical. Her letter to the younger artist encourages them to use criticality as a weapon against injustice, corruption and harmful stereotypes in society.