Theme for 2026 - Sound and Solidarity

Going into the 3rd edition of Kilele, we thought deeply about how we got here, and what are some of the core ideas that make us all want to endure the long and hard process of making it happen. We are a non-profit entity, barely covering our costs and fighting for an ever shrinking pot of money for cultural endeavours. Some of the key questions we asked ourselves were:

What do we celebrate? What do we offer? What do we want to provide? Who are we in this with? Why are we doing this?

We don't really have a definite answer to all these, but some thoughts came up in the process and iut of this we tried to build a theme that encompasses this feeling:

Kilele brings together artists, collectives and dreamers under our Sound and Solidarity theme for 2026. The gathering will hear from artists, technologists and culture workers from across the board (but particularly on the fringes), people exploring new approaches, fresh takes, and exciting collaborations to envision a better future. Our programme will incorporate projects that directly build links between generations, locations, technologies, and collaborative expressions, rooted in care and respect. We are driven by ideas and action, not metrics or marketability. Reclaim culture and join us in sound and solidarity at Kilele 26.

Read more about our process on the official Kilele Substack