In 2018, local artists were challenged by the TURP to engage in the “art of resilience” using creativity to envision a Dar es Salaam that is resilient to climate and disaster risk.

“As agents of cultural shift, art and artists raise the alarm; they raise consciousness; and they raise spirits. They bring us to our senses, helping us to feel, think, and see differently. They are portrayers of the possible, provoking and informing the imagination of states beyond present conditions, and conveying the promise and potential of transformation. The movement towards greater urban resilience has begun, and it involves multi-sectoral efforts to manage complex challenges. It is co-creative. The art of resilience could be restated as the art of learning to live together as though our future really mattered. Writers, musicians, filmmakers, architects, designers must engage us all, whether as audience, students, or collaborators, in co-creating a new narrative for humanity.” – Excerpt from a dialogue supported by Musagetes, the J.W. McConnell Foundation (Montreal) and the Breuninger Stiftung (Berlin) on Art and Resilience.

In 2018, local artists were challenged by the TURP to engage in the “art of resilience” using creativity to envision a Dar es Salaam that is resilient to climate and disaster risk. The challenge attracted 33 proposals for a large-scale mural to encourage public dialogue on the subject. Applicants were given a chance to attend a two-day workshop to better understand the complex notion of urban resilience and how art can help to tackle it. The top 10 had the opportunity to present their designs during URTZ 2018, where conference participants voted for their favorites to be painted on a wall in the flood-prone Jangwani area of Dar es Salaam.

The Top Two Winners 

Isack Amini Architecture, Student + Artist, University of Dar es Salaam, 23 

“My advice to young artists in Tanzania is to use their talent, stay hungry, and do what it takes to make a positive impact on your community.”

Isack Amini won the Resilient Dar Mural Challenge with an intricate design that reflected his deep connection to the topic. “This victory means a lot to me because I see my design touching lives and giving hope to the people of Jangwani and the Msimbazi valley,” said Amini. Amini makes use of his talent to sketch, draw, and paint people, and design residential houses, but also spends a significant amount of time volunteering on urban activities. He says that he saw a window of opportunity through this challenge to engage in art as a way of inspiring and motivating his generation.

Nickson Jeremiah Graphic Designer + Artist, Arusha, 19

“This is the greatest achievement for me as an artist. I believe my art can impact society and I feel happy when I see a change that my art has brought to the community. Most people are blind to important issues like climate change, but, if they see art, they will get the message clearly.” 

The runner-up was Nickson Jeremiah, a 19-year-old who traveled all the way from Arusha to Dar es Salaam to participate in the challenge after finding an advertisement online. Jeremiah was inspired by the opportunity to use his talent to address challenges posed by climate change and disaster risk. He notes that climate change most severely affects women in his village who have to endure long journeys to fetch water, collect firewood, and are relied upon to take care of the family – particularly in times of disaster. 

“My Illustration features a girl (the dreamer) holding the city of her dreams, a green city full of trees, clean water — a well-planned city that she can call home. She is calling upon the community to join hands in bringing her dreams to reality,” Jeremiah explained. 

Jeremiah completed his ordinary secondary education in 2017 and obtained a scholarship at his dream school in Dubai, but it wasn’t enough to convince him to move. Instead, he took courses online and continues to do research on YouTube and Pinterest to get ideas and improve his skills as an artist. He dreams of becoming not just a professional artist, but an artist that influences change through his work. The Art of Resilience exhibition, which debuted at the World Bank headquarters the same month as URTZ 2018, provides guidance on how to impactfully integrate art into development projects. Jeremiah’s piece “The City of My Dreams” is featured in the global exhibition’s online gallery.