The underground in Kenya, Tanzania and other countries in the region is a hotbed of activity and creativity. WAPI events,piloted in Nairobi and recently extended to Dar Es Salaam, are a platform that makes it possible for visual and verbalartists in the underground to showcase their art (in words and/or pictures). We take the underground to mean the upcoming,the undiscovered, those who, by design or default, are not part of the mainstream. WAPI brings undiscovered talent to thefore for the discerning public through a regular (monthly) WAPI programme. WAPI also aspires to become a talent-spottingplatform – the place where tomorrows best acts and today’s best-kept secrets are identified and enjoyed.The artists that WAPI aspires to engage work in a cross-section of creative fields that use words and pictures. These includewriters, poets, rappers & hip hop artists, musicians, filmmakers, graffiti artists, painters, illustrators, sculptors,photographers, etc.In the first instance WAPI consists of event based networks of artists and audiences, with new artists trying out ideas in‘safe’ performance spaces and vendors selling thematically relevant products. As an entrepreneurial incubator for creativityin Africa, WAPI will also feature a web-based business platform that will provide reach to wider audiences and markets –locally, regionally and internationally, including African diasporas in the UK – by showcasing creativity of a high standard;and having capacity to engage in certain forms of commercial activity on behalf of its members, such as the marketing andsales of artistic products, cultural goods and services, besides attracting advertising and sponsorship.WAPI and Social Inclusion WAPI is also a platform for young artists to use Words and Pictures to talk about and raise attention to issues of concern tothem – social, political, economic – issues around social exclusion and freedom of information. Each WAPI event is themed,with all the art focusing around this theme, whether it be “rights”, “justice”, “the slums” etc.