Where creatives of the global majority connect and thrive
Founder & Stewardship
Kijiji Sanaa was founded and is stewarded by Chelcie S. Porter, a multidisciplinary artist, cultural practitioner, and community organizer with over fourteen years of experience developing creative programs across the United States, Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean.
Her work centers on building sustainable, relationship-based cultural infrastructure rooted in creative autonomy, land stewardship, and collective care. Through residencies, exchanges, and long-term partnerships, she has supported hundreds of artists and community members in developing their work and leadership capacity.
Chelcie serves as the principal steward of Kijiji Sanaa’s vision, partnerships, and long-term strategy, ensuring accountability, continuity, and ethical growth as the organization builds toward a permanent home in East Tennessee.
Programs, Events & Creative Enterprise
Throughout its history, Kijiji Sanaa has developed and hosted a wide range of gatherings, workshops, residencies, screenings, exhibitions, and community events designed to expand access to creative education, professional development, and economic opportunity.
These programs have served not only as learning spaces, but also as platforms for artists and cultural workers to earn income, build audiences, develop entrepreneurial skills, and connect with collaborators and institutions.
Rather than functioning as a traditional event production company, Kijiji Sanaa approaches programming as a form of cultural infrastructure—designing experiences that support long-term creative practice, leadership development, and community sustainability.
In addition to producing its own programs, Kijiji Sanaa provides consultation and collaborative support to partners seeking to develop ethical, inclusive, and community-centered cultural initiatives.
This work continues to evolve as part of the organization’s long-term commitment to creative autonomy and economic resilience.
Kijiji Sanaa has developed and delivered a wide range of workshops, exhibitions, retreats, residencies, screenings, and public programs designed to expand access to creative education, professional development, and economic opportunity.
Across these initiatives, the organization prioritizes fair compensation, artist-led leadership, and sustainable creative pathways. Artists and cultural workers are consistently paid through ticketed programs, commissioned projects, and partnership funding, and supported in building long-term audiences and professional networks.
Through years of youth programming, artist residencies, and international exchange, Kijiji Sanaa has established a proven model for cultivating talent, supporting creative entrepreneurship, and connecting artists to income-generating opportunities.
In addition to producing its own programs, Kijiji Sanaa serves as a community engagement and cultural development partner for museums, cultural centers, brands, cities, and festivals. The organization collaborates with institutions to design inclusive programming, source and support global majority creatives, and integrate meaningful creative components into public and private initiatives.
This work positions Kijiji Sanaa as a trusted bridge between institutions and communities—ensuring that cultural programming is not only accessible, but ethical, representative, and economically sustaining.
est 2012
Areas of Program Development Include:
Artist residencies and retreats
Skill-sharing and professional development workshops
Public talks and screenings
Community exhibitions and showcases
Youth and emerging artist programs
Creative entrepreneurship training
Cross-cultural exchange initiatives
