A high-level creative economy forum slated for June 5, 2025 in Nairobi will bring together industry titans, policymakers, and investors from both Kenya and the United States in a fresh bid to energise and expand Kenya’s creative sector, currently a fast-growing contributor to the country’s GDP.

The U.S. Embassy in Kenya and the American Chamber of Commerce Kenya (AmCham) have jointly unveiled the U.S.-Kenya Creative Economy Forum 2025, a one-day event designed to catalyse investment and deepen partnerships across Kenya’s film, music, and sports industries.

With the United States’ creative economy valued at over Sh130 trillion annually, the forum promises to harness this momentum to uplift Kenya’s own vibrant talent and creative output under the theme "Powering the Future of the Creative Economy."

Marc Dillard, Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Kenya, highlighted the vibrancy of Kenya’s creative youth and the immense opportunities that could come from transatlantic collaboration. 

“My time in Kenya has shown me that this country has an amazing and energetic pool of creative young people. I am so excited to combine this energy with leading creative industries from the United States, where creativity helps propel our economy," Dillard stated.

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"From Hollywood movies to professional sports to world-leading music industry innovators, the potential for Kenyan and American creative economy partnership is boundless.”

Although the Nairobi forum will take place over a single day, it will not be a one-off event.

AmCham is set to establish a dedicated taskforce that will coordinate regular industry forums, trade missions, and joint projects between Kenyan creatives and U.S. companies seeking to tap into the East African market.

AmCham CEO Maxwell Okello said the platform would help unlock dormant promise across the country’s creative spectrum.

“Kenya's creative economy has tremendous untapped potential,” Okello noted.

“This forum will provide a platform to showcase that potential while facilitating meaningful connections between U.S. businesses and Kenyan creative entrepreneurs.”

Kenya’s creative content has increasingly found global audiences, and stakeholders see this forum as a strategic step to build the infrastructure, financing, and partnerships needed to scale local talent to international markets.

With momentum growing and interest surging, the forum marks a pivotal point in the bilateral relationship between the two nations, one that could see creativity as the next frontier for economic diplomacy.