What's on in Nairobi and East Africa: 23 October–5 November

Arts and culture events from 23 October to 5 November 2026, with dates, venues and prices as the organisers give them.

Nairobi

• 28 October · Art Auction East Africa 2026. Circle Art Gallery, Victoria Square, Riara Road · 7pm · bidders register through [email protected]. A live sale of 67 lots of modern and contemporary art, also broadcast on the Strauss & Co Invaluable platform. The lots are on display at the gallery. artauctioneastafrica.com
• 4 to 15 November · Kenya International Theatre Festival (KITFest) 2026. Kenya National Theatre · day pass KSh 2,000, five-show pass KSh 4,800, week pass KSh 7,000, season pass KSh 13,000. Passes are issued through the TheatreKE box office. kitfest.co.ke
• 4 November, 5pm · The Masks (South Africa). Ukumbi Mdogo, Kenya National Theatre · KSh 1,200 advance, KSh 500 student, KSh 1,800 couple. A resistance and protest play in English and Sesotho, with one actor playing two characters. TheatreKE
• 4 November, 6pm · Octopus Garden (Jardín de Pulpos) (Venezuela). Cheche, Kenya National Theatre · KSh 1,200 advance, KSh 500 student, KSh 1,800 couple. José and Antonia go through various settings to recover his memory, in English and Spanish. TheatreKE
• 4 November, 7pm · Polish Heritage in Motion (Poland). Main auditorium, Kenya National Theatre · KSh 1,200 advance, KSh 500 student, KSh 1,800 couple. Polish folk dances with music, song and costumes, performed by Poligrodzianie. TheatreKE
• 5 November, 2pm · Poetry After Lunch. Outdoor stage, Kenya National Theatre · free, walk-in. Emerging poets and other artists share their work in English and Kiswahili. It runs again on 12 November. TheatreKE
• 5 November, 4pm · Palunko's Wife (Croatia). Main auditorium, Kenya National Theatre · KSh 1,200 advance, KSh 500 student. A non-verbal physical comedy monodrama with aerial acrobatics, about a woman who goes back to her old career as a circus artist. TheatreKE
• 5 November, 7pm · After Silence (Brazil). Main auditorium, Kenya National Theatre · KSh 1,200 advance, KSh 500 student, KSh 1,800 couple. A play in Portuguese and Libras (Brazilian Sign Language), based on real events in the life of Helen Keller and her teacher Anne Sullivan. TheatreKE

Kilifi

• 23 to 31 October · Kilifi Creek Festival (second edition). 17 venues along Kilifi Creek, with The Terrace Art Space as headquarters · ticket details are not published on the festival site. 92 films, opening with Reuben Odanga's Tides and closing with One Woman One Bra, plus masterclasses, panels and a VR Village. kilificreekfestival.com

Kampala

• To 21 November · They Too Are the Earth, Sanaa Gateja. Afriart Gallery, 110-112, 7th Street · open Monday to Saturday 10am to 6pm, public holidays 10am to 4pm. The exhibition opened on 19 September. afriartgallery.org

Lunkulu Island, Uganda

• 30 October to 1 November · Amakula International Film Festival (19th edition). Bayimba Centre, Lunkulu Island · ticket details are not published by the organiser. bayimba.org

More events and tickets: https://ficanews.com/events