Nine in 10 Kenyan creatives have used their work to address political and social issues, despite facing threats to their livelihoods, safety and freedom of expression, a new survey by Utetezi Arts & Insights has found.
The report, Creatives and Public Demonstrations: Participation, Risks, and Impact, released in June 2026, examined the experiences of 102 creatives following the June 2024 and June 2025 demonstrations.
According to the survey, 90 per cent of respondents said they had addressed political or social issues through their creative work. While 68 per cent participated in demonstrations, many others contributed through online campaigns, documentation, artistic productions, information amplification and other forms of support.
The report cautions against equating non-attendance at demonstrations with indifference, noting that many creatives cited safety, economic, professional and strategic concerns for not joining protests in person.
It also identified a generational shift in creative activism, with most respondents aged between 18 and 35. Younger artists were more likely to use digital platforms, visual storytelling, humour, performance and public expression to communicate political messages more directly and visibly than previous generations.
The report says younger creatives are characterised by fearlessness, digital savvy and a strong sense of collective purpose, qualities that have shaped both the methods and impact of their activism. Their work is described as immediate, visually and emotionally compelling, and unafraid to challenge power and complacency.
"Respondents consistently emphasised that contemporary creatives are more outspoken and unafraid of confronting social and political issues. Activism is now a fusion of art, humour, aesthetics and direct action," the report states.
However, this boldness comes with significant risks, including surveillance, arrests, blacklisting, loss of work, online abuse, burnout and exposure to violence.
The report found that 63 per cent of respondents said demonstrations had negatively affected their ability to create, perform or earn a living. Three per cent reported a positive impact, while 34 per cent said there had been no significant change.
Only 12 per cent of respondents said they had directly lost opportunities because of their public expression during demonstrations. Sixty-two per cent said they had not experienced such barriers, while 26 per cent were unsure.
State surveillance, arrests, legal threats, loss of work opportunities and online harassment emerged as the leading concerns for politically engaged artists.
The findings suggest that different creative disciplines engage with civic issues in different ways. Performance artists, filmmakers, writers, journalists and digital content creators were more likely to participate directly in demonstrations or produce rapid-response content. Educators, cultural practitioners and craft-based creatives were more likely to contribute through facilitation and heritage work.
Respondents said they were motivated by a desire for better governance, personal experiences of injustice, civic responsibility and hope for systemic change. However, concerns over violence, economic insecurity, protest fatigue and personal safety discouraged many from taking part in demonstrations.
They called for greater protection of freedom of expression, fair pay and decent working conditions, cultural policies that safeguard the arts, stronger digital and personal security, inclusion in national policy discussions, greater public recognition and acknowledgement of art as essential to development.
The report also urged funders to expand legal, financial, digital security, training and mental health support for artists.
"Create grants and emergency funds that can support creatives who lose income due to their activism or political volatility," it recommends.
It further called on policymakers and rights organisations to hold police and government agencies accountable for violence and threats against creatives and the wider public.
"Open-ended responses reveal that activism is emotionally demanding and sometimes risky, but also purposeful, collective, and tied to broader questions of freedom, civic responsibility, livelihood and social change."
The report says creatives see themselves as more than entertainers. They are storytellers, educators and witnesses whose work preserves public memory while promoting dialogue and accountability.
Utetezi Arts & Insights says the creative community has become an influential force in shaping civic discourse and that protecting artists is essential not only for the cultural sector but also for democratic development.
"The survey data confirms that creatives are not just cultural workers. They are the conscience of society, the keepers of its memory and a powerful force for change," the report states.