E.A.S.T

To date, EAST has engaged over 170 creatives from across the region, India, Europe and North America in three editions of the project. We have invited emerging and established artists, as well as ‘movers and shakers’ from the industry, regular passengers, journalists and academics on the journey, with the intention of creating a catalytic experience, in which they can learn from each other and develop synergies.

People who trust each other, work with each other: The emotional, physical and creative experience pushes boundaries and builds trust, inspiring participants to experiment across disciplines and explore alternative narratives. EAST teaches us how to create inclusive spaces with shared decision making, build bridges and co-create: it is not an easy experience but a powerful one.

EAST is a collaboration between individual creative professionals and organizations. It is shaped by a collective of creatives from the region and beyond. Founded by Geraldine Hepp and Poppy Spowage in 2016, EAST has been brought to life through collaborations with organizations, ventures and foundations such as What’s Good Studios, Distant Relatives Backpackers, Creatives Garage, British Council, Africalia, Goethe Institute, Burning Man, Arts and Humanities Research Council, Africa Culture Fund, CDEA, BASATA, TaSUBa and FireFly.

Systems level change requires a change in mindsets, beliefs and consciousness - and culture has the power to do that.

In a time of change, when hegemonic perspectives that have dominated social, political and economic thought are revealing their dysfunction, we believe in the power of connecting creatives, inspiring risk-taking and reimagining old narratives, pushing the boundaries of artistic practice, and expanding the impact of our work through collaborations and smart, inclusive networks.

Unique, intense atmospheres and environments impact how we come together, how we perceive, think and create. Our first sensory experience as humans is in a tight space that moves, with a rhythm and beat: our mothers' wombs - the train is a brilliant analogy to this experience, with its tight, moving spaces and continuous beat carrying us through day and night, allowing us to sink deeper into ourselves and with each other in silence, in creation and in deeper-than-usual conversations.

EAST is not only metaphorically a journey of creative re-birth - it's an emotional and physical experience that challenges how we perceive and imagine ourselves, our shared, complex histories and our world, inviting the new to emerge in radical ways.

The real impact of EAST lies in the creative re-birth participants experience on the journey and the collaborations and connections that emerge based on the trust they have built through this shared experience. It speaks to the potency of process vs output-oriented residencies and to the power of atmospheres, unique environments and shared adventures that allow us to re-imagine and re-invent ourselves and our worlds.

The ripple-effects include collaborations, insights and thought-leadership created by artists, thinkers, audiences and stakeholders.

EAST researches perspectives on industry challenges and opportunities, creating regional and global visibility for contemporary art in East Africa which is largely known for its safaris and exotic traditional culture. We are structuring conversations with artists, stakeholders and audiences to connect dots, and contribute to a thriving and globally connected creative economy in Africa.