Do you live in Kakuma, Kalobeyei refugee settlements? Then FilmAid Kenya invites YOU to participate in a community-based competition in music and theatrical arts in Kakuma, Dadaab and Kolobeyei refugee settlements. The goal of the project is to increase the capacity for dialogue, and community-led social change among refugees and Kenyans.

Please send your application letter, link to the video or theatre act and profile to arts@filmaid.org on or before September 4th, 2020 and indicate the subject line Theatre and Music for Social Change Competition. FilmAid Kenya encourages you to submit your application early as shortlisting is on a rolling basis. Only short-listed artists will be contacted. 

FilmAid Kenya (FilmAid) is a development and humanitarian organization that harnesses the power and influence of film, media, and the arts to respond to displaced communities in need as well as promote social change. Using a participatory community-based approach, FilmAid provides displaced people with actionable information about their rights, safety, health, and future. Using compelling video, radio, print, SMS, and digital media campaigns, FilmAid reaches over 400,000 people every year. 

Project background/description and scope of work

FilmAid Kenya is deploying a three-pronged approach to achieve the goal of improving refugee/returnee community capacity, resilience and self-reliance to respond to the need for trusted and timely life-saving information in Dadaab, Kakuma refugee camps and Kalobeyei refugee settlement. Under the Social Behavior Change Communication Component, FilmAid uses media produced with the communities it targets in the form of film, theatre, radio, and print formats to start and sustain conversations about health, protection, and rights issues. Theatre and Music effectively engage communities due to its non-threatening format. These media also provide for self-expressive art to tackle sensitive issues and challenge the status quo while ensuring that participants maintain control of the messages they wish to portray.

FilmAid Kenya will engage music and theater artists to facilitate edutainment content on health and the protection of fundamental rights in Dadaab, Kakuma, and Kalobeyei locations. Artists will submit an original piece of either a music video or a theater act in an expression of interest call. A panel of judges will select the winning artists (4 musicians and two theater groups) and award a stipend for the submitted project under each category. The stipend for the music project will range between KSH 40,000 to 50,000 and for the theater group projects between KSH 60,000-80,000. The art project will focus on producing original pieces on music and theater act that addresses a critical health or protection issue in Dadaab, Kakuma, and Kalobeyei.

Deliverables of the project

• Four Short music video (2 per location-Dadaab, Kakuma)

• Two Theater Act videos (1 per location-Dadaab, Kakuma)

• Facilitate conversations on community protection and health through the online distribution of the art pieces.

Expected deliverables 

Music artist

1. Original music lyrics on a health or protection theme in English, Kiswahili-with English translation or Somali- with English translation.

2. The original music video (3-minutes or less) in English, Kiswahili, or Somali.

3. Bio of a musician. Include social media pages and other links in English, Kiswahili, or Somali.

Theater group artist

1. Original theatre script on a health and protection theme in English, Kiswahili-with English translation or Somali- with English translation.

2. Original theatre act video (5 minutes or less in English, Kiswahili, or Somali).

3. Description of the history and purpose of the theater group. Please include social media pages and other links in English, Kiswahili, or Somali.

To qualify, you must fulfill the following: 

1. Applicants MUST be at least 18 years old. Persons below 18 will not be accepted.

2. Applicants MUST be a Kenyan citizen or living in Kakuma, Kalobeyei, or Dadaab Refugee Settlements.

3. Multiple entries per musician or thespian group are allowed. For example, a single musician may submit more than one demo song on different health and protection themes. The same will apply for theater groups.

4. Videos of artwork will be provided in English or Kiswahili only.

5. Links to work will be received on Youtube or Vimeo only. Those submitting their work in any other way, such as downloads such as WeTransfer or WhatsApp, will not be considered.

6. FilmAid and its judges reserve the right to exclude from this competition any works that they decree incite violence, culturally insensitive or degrading (this does not mean that the short video cannot contain allowable violence for theatrical purposes).

7. The winners and runners-up will be announced virtually.

8. FilmAid Kenya takes copyright law very seriously and will not accept work that infringes on copyright law. To view Kenyan copyright law, go here.

9. If the short video includes original Music, the applicants MUST include a copy of the agreement in their application.

10. FilmAid will work with the winners to polish the final pieces of wining art and include reshooting, re-edits, and any other additions to the music or theater act video necessary to satisfy this project.

11. Donors and stakeholders supporting the ‘Theatre and Music for Social Change Grant’ will be acknowledged on the final version of the artwork used by FilmAid. 

12. FilmAid Kenya does not charge or pay entrants any fees for screenings or submissions of their short video.

13. FilmAid reserves the right to film Behind the Scenes footage from the competition and use the footage as promotional material. 

14. Email arts@filmaid.org for inquiries regarding the Theatre and Music for Social Change Competition. 

How to Apply

Interested and qualified persons and groups with the required experience are invited to submit

1. An application letter (with your photo) telling us who you are, where you stay, about the project, and why FilmAid should consider your arts as a winner of the stipend.

2. A link to the video of either an original song (3 minutes or less) or theatre act (5 minutes or less) on Vimeo or YouTube.

3. Profile telling FilmAid who you are and about your work submitted as a CV or link to your webpage indicated on the application letter. 

Please send your application letter, link to the video or theatre act and profile to arts@filmaid.org on or before September 4th, 2020 and indicate the subject line Theatre and Music for Social Change Competition. FilmAid encourages you to submit your application early as shortlisting is on a rolling basis. Only short-listed artists will be contacted.

*This competition is not valid where prohibited by local law.