Nairobi, Jan. 15 -- Over the years, the Kibera Arts District has undergone significant evolution in the arts scene. It is a place pockmarked with tin shanties that have, over time, become canvases for street art.

At its epicentre sits the House of Friends Art Gallery, a whitewashed, flat-roofed stone building no larger than a double room, littered with paintings on its walls. Children from the slums walk in and out at will to stare at the artwork, as do the residents. The gallery owner, Jamey Ponte, or Babu as the residents call him, is a man who lives to make lofty ideas tangible.

Last week, on January 10, Jamey held a press conference with over 60 artists in the Kibera Arts District. The purpose? To announce a global call for artists,...