About

Solab

Solab is a culturally responsive initiative building a digital platform for artists across Africa, the African Diaspora, and their wider creative networks. We create online spaces where practitioners can imagine, discuss, develop, and test ideas — collaboratively and across borders. Every stage of Solab’s evolution is co-designed, with cultural expression and shared learning at the heart of everything we do.

During Solab Kenya, we worked with the arts collective Maasai Mbili and a group of Kazi ya Mkono artists — curated and project-managed by Rose Jepkorir — including Wanjeri Gakuru, Bethuel Muthee, Naddya Adhiambo Oluoch-Olu nya, and Kamwanji Njue. Supported by the British Council, this partnership enabled us to commission collaborative work between artists in Kenya and Northern Ireland. The resulting pieces blended music, visual art, film, and literature, creating a powerful intercontinental exchange of perspectives and practice.

Funding from Future Screens helped us develop SoGO — our emerging digital platform. This phase focused on research & development, demonstrating that a platform informed by African cultures, histories, and lived experiences is not only possible, but invaluable. SoGO will offer a digital gateway for creativity: a space where artists can freely access, create, and express themselves through an interface centred on intuitive design — shaped by language, sound, imagery, and user experience that reflects African creative sensibilities while being open and accessible to all. It provides a palette rooted in Black cultural expression for artists to build from, enabling users everywhere to engage with, learn from, and celebrate African cultures and Afrocentric perspectives as part of a wider artistic ecosystem.

We are currently building a simple prototype, using music as the first artform through which creatives can Connect, Create, and Collaborate. We will invite artists to test the platform and share feedback, shaping the next phase of our journey.

Statement from SoLAB founder Kwame on Power UP though PRS for Music Foundation

“I was lucky enough to be selected as one of forty Black Musicians and Industry Professionals for Year 1 of the Power Up programme, which, on a personal level, was the most impactful programme I have ever taken part in. Why? The point I had reached on a professional level combined with the timing of world events, being lockdown, the murder of George Floyd and the resulting social and political impact of that moment meant I was ready to contribute to the conversation positively, but needed support in figuring out what that looked like.

Power Up provided that support, firstly providing paid time to identify potential challenges and pull on the resources of the 40 strong network alongside the tailored expertise, shaped by Power Up founder Ben Wynter, and project consultant Yaw Owusu.

Power Up has supported me to build a team and shape a key a digital space that promotes the breadth and depth of culture and ingenuity within the Black community for all to Connect, Create and Collaborate.”