The Living Language of Repair - Joburg Revival
January 2nd, 2026
Last November, we had the opportunity to attend Joburg Revival: The Living Language of Repair, a retreat organized by our partner, the Moleskine Foundation, in Johannesburg, South Africa. The retreat took place as part of the Foundation’s annual gathering with the year’s Creativity Pioneers Fund recipients. The fund supports initiatives working at the intersection of creativity, technology, and social justice, amplifying initiatives that challenge social issues and imagine more ethical and inclusive futures.
We are deeply honoured to be part of a community of organizations that confront the pressing challenges of our time by engaging communities worldwide through grassroots, creativity-led approaches.
Over the course of a week, we took part in a series of activities hosted at NIROX Sculpture Park, a space dedicated to artistic production that engages with social, cultural, and environmental questions at the cradle of humankind. Alongside fellow Creativity Pioneers and the Moleskine Foundation team, we exchanged knowledge about our respective practices, reflected collectively on impact, and built meaningful relationships that will continue to support and strengthen our work beyond this gathering.
The programme also offered a deep engagement with Johannesburg’s local cultural and artistic ecosystem. Through poetry sessions, we learned from South African writers and cultural practitioners; through visits to Soweto Township, we confronted the history of apartheid and its ongoing social consequences. At the same time, we witnessed how locally led, art- and culture-driven initiatives are transforming the township - reshaping narratives and creating pathways for cultural and economic flourishing despite enduring structural inequalities. We visited artists’ homes, independent cultural spaces, institutions, and galleries that are actively redefining the future of their neighbourhoods through creative practice.
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As part of the retreat, we also participated in a public conversation at 44 Main with a local audience of artists, cultural workers, and thinkers engaged in Johannesburg’s post-apartheid revival. Moderated by Lwando Xaso, Head of the Creativity for Social Change Hub, the discussion brought together representatives from Bridges For Music and Mutante, alongside Creativity Pioneers working across cities such as Johannesburg, Brooklyn, Lagos, and Bogotá.
The conversation centred on creativity as a vital tool for social transformation - whether through music schools in Cape Town’s townships or innovative digital storytelling that amplifies everyday realities in Colombia. More than communication, creativity emerged as a strategic force for justice, human expression, and systemic change.
For us, this gathering was an incredible opportunity to meet and engage with initiatives that are leading social change through participatory, cultural, and community-driven practices. It was a deeply inspiring experience - one that reminded us that everyone has a role to play, and that meaningful transformation is possible when people come together with intention and care. It reaffirmed our belief that there is hope for a more just, healthy planet, and for societies rooted in dignity, creativity, and collective responsibility.
Our time in Johannesburg was very inspiring - it reminded us that despite the social challenges and systemic pressures shaped by history, grassroots efforts continue to ripple outward touching and inspiring millions of people driving social and ecological change. These initiatives demonstrate the essential role that culture and art play in society: not only as forms of expression, but as forces that shape how we imagine our futures, repair harm, and reclaim agency.
We are deeply grateful to the Moleskine Foundation and the Creativity Pioneers community for creating the space for connection, reflection, and collaboration. We look forward to staying in close dialogue with fellow Creativity Pioneers, continuing to share and amplify this work globally, and building alliances with like-minded audiences. Together, we believe these ripples can grow - becoming a wave of change grounded in creativity, justice, and collective care.
