On July 16, 2025 the SDG Local Action series hosted its 26th webinar “The Role of Urban Art for Inclusive and Sustainable Cities” the session highlights the experiences of Nairobi City County Government and the Municipality of Córdoba, where public art is being used to regenerate vulnerable areas, elevate community voices, and contribute to inclusive development. Moderated by the Culture Committee for United Cities and Local Governments, both cities showcased how local governments can collaborate with artists to promote sustainable urban development.
In a rapidly urbanizing world, cities face the challenge of creating spaces that are inclusive, safe, and reflective of their communities. Urban art, when supported by policy and anchored in community participation, can convert walls into narratives, abandoned corners into landmarks, and citizens into co-creators of their environments. As cities strive to localize the SDGs, public art offers a low-cost, high-impact means of advancing social cohesion, cultural identity, and equitable development.
The video recording of the event is available on our YouTube channel – in English, Spanish, and French.
Nairobi, addressing urban inequality through creativity
Nairobi City County Government opened the session by tracing the development of the city’s public art movement. While once stigmatized, street art is now being embraced as a formal element of city planning. The government described how murals in informal settlements have been used to address youth unemployment, improve neighborhood safety, and shift public perceptions of marginalized spaces.
The city has taken deliberate steps to decriminalize public art and embed it into official policy. This transformation was only possible through co-creation, where artists, residents, and municipal agencies work together to reimagine their city. Public funding, mural competitions, and partnerships with civil society have helped artists scale their impact and reach new audiences.
Solutions
- Recognized urban art in city policy and budgeted for grants and artist support
- Identified and secured public spaces specifically for murals and installations
- Facilitated partnerships between government, artists, and civil society organizations
- Piloted mural projects in informal settlements to promote safety and inclusion
Main achievements
- In 2023, the city partnered with UN-Habitat and British Council to launch Urban Art for Inclusion, transforming neglected walls in Eastlands into storytelling spaces.
- Over 50 murals were created in areas like Mathare and Kibera, featuring themes such as gender equality, mental health, and climate action.
- The Nairobi Mural Map now features over 200 sites.
- Many mural projects also included clean-up efforts and tree planting.
Córdoba’s cultural policy in action
Following Nairobi’s presentation, the City of Córdoba presented its decade-long commitment to integrating urban art into cultural policy. The Argentinean city has prioritized artist-led revitalization projects since before the COVID-19 pandemic, culminating in its 2022 designation as Argentina’s “Capital of Urban Art.” The municipality worked with local, provincial, and international artists to transform abandoned or underused spaces into vibrant public galleries.
Special attention was given to gender equity in artistic programming. Through festivals and artist residencies, Córdoba elevated the work of women artists and ensured that their contributions were visible in the urban landscape. These efforts have helped build community trust, stimulate local economies, and foster inclusive civic pride.
Solutions
- Institutionalized urban art through municipal cultural policy.
- Developed a citywide festival circuit to increase visibility and foster exchange.
- Built inclusive platforms for women and youth artists.
- Used technology to map artworks and promote cultural tourism.
Main achievements
- The city of Córdoba was named Argentina’s “Capital of Urban Art.”
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, the municipality partnered with local artists and youth groups to organize light murals, public performances, and storytelling.
- Through festivals and artist residencies, women artists were given visibility.
- Communities gathered around these events to share concerns and hopes.
Common challenges faced by cities
Both local governments identified recurring challenges that cities must overcome when adopting urban art as a tool for development:
- Public perceptions that equate street art with vandalism
- Lack of formal infrastructure or legal frameworks to support artistic expression
- Youth disengagement and underemployment in creative industries
- Limited investment in the maintenance and documentation of public artworks
- Difficulty aligning local cultural expressions with municipal development goals
Key lessons learned
The speakers concluded with valuable insights for other local governments:
- Urban art fosters inclusion when co-created with communities and tied to social policy.
- Maintenance and documentation are critical to ensure longevity and public value.
- Technology enhances impact, from digital mapping to storytelling and citizen engagement.
- Institutional support legitimizes artists, shifting perceptions and enabling scale.
- Start small and scale thoughtfully: pilot projects help build trust and demonstrate impact.
- Visibility and media engagement are vital for shifting narratives and securing future investment.
Conclusion
Urban art is not just decoration; it is a form of public dialogue, a catalyst for equity, and a tool for reclaiming space. Nairobi and Córdoba offer compelling examples of how cities can embed creativity into sustainable urban strategies, making progress on multiple SDGs at once. As local governments around the world explore new ways to engage communities and transform the built environment, urban art stands out as a promising and powerful pathway forward.