Island creativity for a resilient future
Cabo Verde, the Atlantic archipelago off the coast of West Africa, is known for its stunning volcanic landscapes, rich Creole culture, and internationally celebrated music. Yet as a small island nation, Cabo Verde is also highly vulnerable to climate change — facing issues such as water scarcity, desertification, and plastic pollution. In response, local artists, designers, and cultural collectives are weaving sustainability into the arts, transforming creativity into a force for ecological awareness, community resilience, and cultural pride.
Art in Cabo Verde has always been shaped by resourcefulness and adaptation to island life:
Weaving and crafts: Artisans create mats, baskets, and decorative items from palm leaves, sisal fibers, and recycled fishing nets.
Music & oral traditions: Morna and Funaná, the country’s most famous music genres (Morna recognized by UNESCO as intangible heritage), often evoke nature, migration, and resilience, embedding ecological and social themes in performance.
Stone and clay work: Island communities historically used local volcanic stone and clay in architecture and pottery, representing climate-adaptive building traditions.
These heritage practices are now being reinterpreted in modern sustainability-focused art.
As an island nation, Cabo Verde is deeply impacted by marine debris. Local artists and NGOs collaborate on projects that transform ocean plastics into sculptures, jewelry, and public art. These works both reduce waste and raise awareness about protecting marine ecosystems.
Cape Verdean fashion designers are experimenting with upcycled fabrics, natural dyes, and traditional weaving techniques, positioning the islands as part of Africa’s slow fashion movement. Some integrate cultural symbols of migration and resilience, linking sustainability to identity.
In Mindelo (São Vicente) and Praia (Santiago), vibrant street art carries strong messages about climate change, deforestation, and ocean protection. Murals turn city walls into spaces for ecological storytelling and community dialogue.
Cabo Verde is famous for its festivals, especially the Mindelo Carnival and international music events. Increasingly, artists use these platforms to highlight sustainable living, recycling, and climate justice through performances, costumes, and installations made from eco-materials.
Elida Almeida – a Cabo Verdean singer whose lyrics often explore themes of migration, environment, and community resilience.
Mindelo-based eco-art collectives – groups that repurpose waste materials from ports and beaches into installations.
Artmar Project (São Vicente) – linking artisanal fishing communities with recycled art initiatives to raise awareness of marine conservation.
Women’s craft cooperatives – producing sustainable baskets, mats, and jewelry from local plants, contributing to eco-tourism.
Despite strong creativity, eco-art in Cabo Verde faces challenges:
Limited waste management and recycling infrastructure on small islands.
Economic vulnerability that makes eco-materials more costly.
Climate threats (drought, rising seas) directly affecting resources and communities.
Need for stronger institutional support for culture-environment collaborations.
The potential of sustainability arts in Cabo Verde is significant:
Eco-tourism & creative economy: Eco-art can enhance the country’s tourism sector, offering visitors not just beaches but also green cultural experiences.
Youth & education: Expanding eco-art programs in schools can empower the next generation of artists and activists.
Global cultural networks: As part of the Lusophone world, Cabo Verdean artists can link sustainability practices with wider Afro-Latin creative exchanges.
Festivals as platforms: Integrating eco-art into carnivals and music festivals can amplify visibility worldwide.