Kisumu County has launched a professional recording studio as part of a broader push to position the city as a leading creative and cultural hub in East Africa..reports Asian Lite News
Kisumu County is strengthening its ambitions to become a leading cultural and creative hub in East Africa following the launch of a professional recording studio at the Mama Grace Onyango Social Centre, a project that also highlights growing cultural cooperation between Kenya and France.
Speaking during the launch ceremony attended by a French delegation led by Ambassador Arnaud Suquet, Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o said culture and creativity must be viewed as central pillars of social transformation and economic growth.
“We are here to consecrate an idea deeply founded in the enduring partnership between the Republic of Kenya and the Republic of France,” Nyong’o said.
“Culture is not peripheral to development, but central to it. Creativity is the basis upon which social transformation and economic progress are rooted,” he added.
The new Mama Grace Onyango Professional Recording Studio is expected to provide young artists and creatives with access to modern production technology, helping nurture music, storytelling and digital content creation in Kisumu and the wider Nyanza region.
Nyong’o described the facility as a major step towards transforming raw artistic talent into globally competitive creative production.
“This marks a transition from analogue potential to digital possibility, from raw talent to refined production,” he said.
The governor noted that the centre would offer young people a platform to shape narratives, preserve cultural identity and participate more actively in the global creative economy.
The launch also highlighted the growing role of Alliance Française at the Mama Grace Onyango Social Centre, where language, arts and cultural programmes are helping deepen people to people ties between Kenya and France.
Nyong’o said the presence of Alliance Française has continued to broaden opportunities for young people through cultural exchange and French language learning, which he described as important for strengthening bilateral relations.
He also reflected on the historical significance of the centre, which was originally established in 1959 as the Kisumu Social Hall before undergoing restoration in 2020 as part of efforts to preserve community spaces while promoting inclusion and artistic expression.
The governor thanked the French government for supporting Kisumu’s creative sector and called for greater involvement of local youth in continental cultural platforms, including the Africa France Summit scheduled to take place in Nairobi in 2026.
Ambassador Suquet said the reopening of Alliance Française in Kisumu followed three years of collaboration with the county government.
“The Governor approached me and expressed the need to reopen Alliance Française in Kisumu. We walked the journey together and, three years later, it is now fully operational, offering young people an opportunity to learn French,” he said.
Suquet added that the partnership had expanded beyond language and education into the wider creative industry through collaboration with the Mama Grace Onyango Social Centre.
“We have also partnered with the Centre, an innovative artistic institution, to nurture talent in Kisumu County and the wider Nyanza region,” he said.
The ambassador described the latest developments as an important milestone in cultural cooperation between Kenya and France, while signalling that more initiatives were expected ahead of the Africa France Summit in 2026.
The newly launched recording studio is expected to boost youth participation in music production, cultural storytelling and digital creativity, further positioning Kisumu as an emerging centre for arts and culture in the region.
