Moving Arts In Kenya

Art is more about passion and talent hence the most difficult to teach. Art in any form and style can link people at any level, socio-political and economic status, age, ethnicity, race, religion, gender, and color. 

In Kenya, most parents will go to great lengths to discourage children from taking on the path of art because most artists are ignored and painted as lazy, failures, and sometimes spoilt. With the government doing very little to add value to the field of arts, it's up to stakeholders to enhance it. 

Several years ago, the government dropped Arts and Craft from the curriculum hindering many students from tapping into their creative side. In a country where art schools are few, private, and only a few people can afford the high fees charged, Wanny Angerer in Moving Cultures is a genius initiative for the world of arts in Kenya and Africa in general. Moving Cultures offers people a platform to share different cultures at different locations. This promotes unity in diversity.

In January 2015, a world-renowned Honduran Jazz performer Wanayran Angerer founded Wanny Angerer in Moving Cultures. Wanny, as she is fondly referred to, has traveled across Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean using arts and music as a channel for social and cultural similarity to bring about positive change across the globe.

Wanayran Angerer, the founder of Wanny Angerer in Moving Cultures, holding an elephant from Ocean Sole.

The main reason for creating Wanny Angerer in Moving Cultures was to attain development as well as the appreciation for the arts and the belief in its power to make a positive difference.  Since 2014, they have been working on facilitating the creative sector with stakeholders of development together to empower socially and economically disadvantaged individuals and communities worldwide, particularly children, youth, and women.

Wanny Moving Culture embraces and mentors different artists from different walks of life be it music, poet, fashion, etc. Music has been a big component in Wanny Angerer in Moving Cultures. With music therapy being used at the various children's homes and hospitals they volunteer in.  Music therapy as an expressive art is believed to improve and maintain the physical, physiological, and social well-being of individuals. 

Wanayran Angerer, the Managing Director at Wanny Angerer in Moving Cultures, had the following to say, ‘‘Having practiced music as a therapy, I am hoping to convince the Kenyan government to include music as a subject in colleges and high schools,’’ remarked Wanny. 

Students from Magoso Primary School in Kibera performing music as a form of therapy with Wanny Angerer in Moving Cultures.

Betty Bagbo, 22 years old works under the mentorship of Wanny Angerer in Moving Cultures, as a poet and dancer. Betty, also fondly referred by her stage name Seise, has been working as a residence oncology at Kenyatta National Hospital and Faraja Cancer Support Trust. 

‘‘My dream when I was young was to become a fashion designer, but her mother couldn't hear any of it, and eventually, I gave in to my mother's desire to pursue medicine. I love being a doctor. Being a poet was a way for me to rebel against my mother and pursue my dreams for arts,’’ said Betty. 

Betty reciting a poem for students at Magoso Primary School in Kibera during a music therapy session with Wanny Angerer in Moving Cultures.

Betty is a great poet working with children in Kibera, helping them with affirmations and poetry. ‘‘I am grateful that poetry and dancing pay my bills and I get to travel for performance, but now I am torn between pursuing my Masters in Medicine or sticking to being an artist,’’ added Betty.