2020 The future We’re now working towards a future with more Safaricom, The Junction Mall, Village Market (honestly 2020 was honestly a sh** year for the arts all over the world. Venues were content. So far we’ve helped artists get their work this list is endless, this book comes with a pencil so we closed, live shows cancelled and going outside became detrimental to your out there at events or online. Now we want to help can fill in anyone we missed in the margins) and health. To cushion the blow to the arts industry, Creatives Garage shifted the artists create more content and get the content out everyone else who has made this journey possible. bulk of its output online. The first quarter of the year was dedicated to two there. We’re creating tools, working to build online events. The first was Lock in Festival, aimed at having creatives, alternative markets and distribution channels for Our community of creatives has grown from a single especially those considered underground, earn some money during the content, mobile and web apps, Augmented Reality intern (shout out to Euticus once again) to a small lockdown through incorporating tip jars and donation options during and Virtual Reality experiences and learning society of 13 000 artists from different mediums, walks performances and on the Festival website. platforms. We’re also going to do a lot more sto- of life, social classes, races you name it. They believe We also moved the Sondeka rytelling that’s focused on the African Narrative in us, embrace us, constantly correct us, and encour- Awards online (reminding people through film, tv and web series, graphic novels, age our madness. that they’re the sh** couldn’t be music and poetry. stopped by a pandemic!). It’s been a tough, long journey with credit due to It has taken the dedication of everyone who has ever the artists and creative industry stakeholders we’ve worked at CG starting again with Euticus (first member Creatives Garage isn’t just a worked with over the years. Organizations such as and first employee, we should throw him a party. ) queer-friendly space a lot of the Africalia, Google, Facebook, HIVOS, British staff are queer as well. Pride Month Council, The Swedish Embassy, German Embassy, It has taken the vision of The chief mechanic who even means a lot to CG and in 2020 we The Goethe Institut, The Netherlands Embassy, though they pick-up surfed (inside joke that has recognised that not everyone can openly celebrate their queerness. Stories Of Pride was an Africa Culture Fund, Africa No Filter, Airtel, Bozza, something to do with that terrible editing job that we opportunity for CG to give those people a voice. The project was not popular in some corners. Some IPS, Funktion Master, KECOBO, Forum Syd, THe mentioned at the beginning) still dared to dream. people thought queer people would be forced further in the closet whereas we should be pushing them Awesome Foundation, Adobe, Pernod Ricard, out (some people don’t realise that being out and not facing any risk is not a privilege everyone has FFS). However, it was largely accepted and appreciated by the community. 10 stories were read out and recorded by voice actors and 10 more will join this in a limited edition book for publication later in “Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. the year. chance to tell their stories to the world. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. We closed off 2020 with an intense collaboration with Facebook Africa. Real People Real Stories is a You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the series of mini docus featuring Kenyans who have used their creativity and innovation to inspire their only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They communities. push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do” - Rob Stilton 50nd3k4 24 50nd3k4 25 50nd3k4 24 50nd3k4 25