Africa Nomads Art Space (AFNO) is an artist led contemporary art platform based in Mombasa, Kenya, dedicated to fostering artistic production, research, and cultural exchange within Africa and across international contexts. Founded in 2021, AFNO operates as a multidisciplinary hub where visual art, performance, research, and community engagement intersect to support critical dialogue and new artistic practices.

At the core of the platform is Akala Art Gallery, the exhibition program of Africa Nomads Art Space, which presents contemporary visual art by emerging and established artists from Africa and the diaspora. Through curated exhibitions, public programs, and collaborations with artists and institutions, the gallery serves as a space for artistic experimentation, presentation, and exchange between local and global audiences.

AFNO was founded by Benjamin Livoi, who later onboarded Raphael Muchomba to help drive the initiative forward. Recognizing the absence of a contemporary art space on Kenya’s coast, the founders transformed a disused building on Kilima Road in Mombasa into a multidisciplinary cultural venue that now functions as an exhibition space, research hub, and collaborative platform for artists and cultural practitioners.

Beyond exhibitions, Africa Nomads Art Space supports artistic development through its Art Residency Program, which hosts local and international artists seeking to research, produce, and engage with the cultural landscapes and histories of the Swahili Coast. The residency encourages site-responsive practices and cross-cultural dialogue between visiting artists, local communities, and regional institutions.

Research and knowledge production form an important pillar of AFNO’s activities through its Art Research program, which facilitates artistic inquiry, curatorial development, and critical discourse through workshops, symposia, publications, and collaborative research initiatives.

The platform also develops interdisciplinary cultural initiatives such as The Journey, a research based cultural travel program that connects artists, curators, and cultural practitioners with communities, heritage sites, and artistic traditions across Kenya. The program expands the relationship between art, place, and lived cultural histories, encouraging participants to engage with local knowledge systems and social contexts.

Complementing its exhibition and research programs, Africa Nomads Art Space operates a multidisciplinary event space that hosts performances, talks, screenings, and community gatherings, providing a flexible environment for artistic exchange across disciplines including music, theatre, dance, and visual art.

Since its founding, AFNO has collaborated with artists, curators, cultural institutions, and international partners to create opportunities for artistic mobility, exhibition, and dialogue. Through these partnerships, the platform contributes to expanding the visibility of contemporary African art while strengthening connections between African artists and global cultural networks.

Through its gallery, residency, research initiatives, and cultural programs, Africa Nomads Art Space functions as a platform for artistic mobility, experimentation, and intercultural exchange, contributing to the evolving discourse of contemporary African art within regional and international contexts.