Sustainability 23 October 2026

Artist-funded community murals in Nairobi

Painted mural with a cursive Unity sign, red hearts, a hand holding a phone, dripping orange paint, a floating island and a cartoon character with X eyes.

Unity Art Collective has completed two artist-funded community murals in Nairobi: one at Lavington Girls Secondary School and one at Lifestyle Gigiri, a community project. Both were paid for by Unity's artists rather than a client, so the art could serve the community first.

What is an artist-funded community mural?

An artist-funded community mural is public art that artists pay for themselves and create for a community rather than for a paying client. The aim is shared benefit: something a neighbourhood or school sees every day, made with people rather than simply delivered to them. Unity counts two completed artist-funded community murals so far.

The Lavington Girls mural program

At Lavington Girls Secondary School, led by Chief Principal Jean Mwangi, members of the Unity Art Club planned, sketched and painted a campus-wide mural program. It includes a mural honouring icons like Wangari Maathai.

Students learned how a mural differs from a page. You sketch first, work as a team and keep the whole picture in mind. One student summed it up in a letter: "A student should also look at the bigger picture."

The reach goes beyond the school. More than 1,000 primary and secondary students in Lavington walk past the Unity mural every day.

The Lifestyle Gigiri community project

Unity's second community project is with Lifestyle Gigiri in Nairobi. It pairs art with sustainable craft, including a traditional Makuti thatch made from locally sourced materials. The idea, in founder Levi James Howze's words, is "to show how easy it is to turn what others see as waste into art."

Why do community murals matter?

Community murals make art part of daily life. For students, painting a large piece together builds teamwork, planning skills and confidence. For a neighbourhood, a mural is a shared landmark that people walk past every day. Murals can also carry messages, such as environmental care, which ties into Unity's wider sustainability work: Lavington Girls students have also planted 489 trees with the Green Future Initiative, sponsored by Village Market.

Painted mural of a figure in reflective sunglasses in front of a red sun, above a colourful landscape with a globe, wind turbines, houses and hot-air balloons.

Painted mural of a smiling woman in a headwrap against a sunburst and clouds, above a forest with a zebra, birds and flowers.

Painted mural of hands reaching toward a glowing centre wrapped in vines, with figures in suits pointing and city skyscrapers around the edge.

Painted mural of a green-skinned figure, butterflies, flowers, a red bird and stacked books under pink sun rays and a blue sky.

Painted mural of a crowd of stylised faces and figures, including one reading a book under a halo, with water drops, an eye and city towers.

How can you support the next mural?

The Lavington Girls mural program has room to grow, and Unity welcomes partners who want to sponsor the next student-painted mural or supply paint and materials. Send a proposal through the partnership form at unitycollective.art/partner/, message WhatsApp +254 798 598 220 or email unityartcollectiveio@gmail.com.

FAQ

How many community murals has Unity Art Collective completed?

Two artist-funded community murals: one at Lavington Girls Secondary School and a community project at Lifestyle Gigiri.

Who painted the Lavington Girls murals?

Unity Art Club students planned, sketched and painted them as a team.

How many people see the Lavington mural?

More than 1,000 primary and secondary students walk past it every day.

Can my company sponsor a mural?

Yes. Choose CSR or sponsorship on the form at unitycollective.art/partner/.

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