Contact Information:
Rebecca Mzengi Corey, Managing Director
rebecca@nafasiartspace.org
Release Date: 20 October 2022
DAR ES SALAAM – The Board of Directors of Nafasi Art Space, Tanzania’s leading multidisciplinary arts institution, has appointed Lilian Hipolyte Mushi as the new Deputy Director. She will work for three months under the outgoing Director Rebecca Mzengi Corey, before taking over fully as Managing Director from 1 February 2023.
Mushi’s background as a creative director and brand strategist for over 13 years, combined with her passion and vision for growing the art sector in Tanzania, will help to further advance the mission of the organisation, which recently began implementation of an ambitious five-year strategic plan and has received core funding support for the coming four year period from the Swiss and Norwegian Embassies in Tanzania.
“I am thrilled Lilian has agreed to join our team as Deputy Director,” says Paul Ndunguru, Nafasi Art Space Board Chairman. “Art is an opportunity to share our stories and ideas, which are the building blocks of hope for the future. The Board is certain that Lilian will be a great leader and make sure that artists have the opportunity to tell their stories and connect with society.”
Mushi will oversee the arts organisation, leading the day-to-day management of Nafasi as well as ensuring its strategic goals and objectives are met. She will manage the organisation in creating opportunities for artists, engaging diverse audiences, and building networks and sustainability in the arts sector, contributing to a society that values and celebrates creative expression for all.
“In many ways this feels like a journey home to art,” says Mushi. “I look forward to continuing to do good for the community, locally and globally, with contemporary art and Nafasi as a vehicle – to build, inspire and preserve culture.” Mushi received a degree in Design from Goldsmiths University in London, United Kingdom and served as Head of Design at AIM Group in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania from 2016-21, before working as a consultant for an independent design agency. Mushi’s background as a painter-sculptor turned user experience and product designer has been marked by progressive creative and professional growth, particularly as a design director, project manager, and brand strategist over more than a decade. Mushi has delivered projects for technology companies, banks, non-profits, and start-ups for clients including Water AID, Care International, Deloitte, Absa, Vodacom, TECNO, PSI, CRDB Bank, NMB Bank, and Coca Cola, amongst others, which has helped her understand the bigger picture and the role of creativity in improving people’s lives across cultures, communities, and businesses.
Mushi is set to succeed current Managing Director, Rebecca Mzengi Corey, who has led the organisation since April 2016. “Lilian has a strong and inspiring vision for the future of Nafasi. I am confident she will take the organisation to fantastic new heights,” says Mzengi Corey. “Serving as Director of Nafasi has been the honor of my life, especially working with diverse artists, curators, and partners. I am so excited to see the impact that Nafasi will have under Lilian’s leadership and will support her and the organisation in every possible way going forward.”
Nafasi Art Space is Tanzania’s largest multi-disciplinary arts centre, located in Mikocheni, Dar es Salaam. Since it was founded in 2009, Nafasi has attracted thousands of audiences and supported hundreds of artists by providing opportunities to create, learn, exchange, and promote their work to the people. In January 2022, Nafasi Art Space publicly launched its 2021-26 Strategic Plan, which represents a significant development in the organisation’s evolution. The new strategy aims to foster an artistic community for all, across Tanzania, through artist development, audience engagement, building nationwide and international partnerships and networks, and enhancing the sustainability and resilience of the art sector.
More information can be found on Nafasi’s social media @nafasiartspace (Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook), as well as Nafasi’s website www.nafasiartspace.org.
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Lilian Hipolyte Mushi, recently named Deputy Director of Nafasi Art Space
Rebecca Mzengi Corey, outgoing Managing Director