The Africa Centre’s Artists In Residency Program (AIR) has for the past seven years worked with residency partners across the world to provide socially engaged, innovative African artists with residency opportunities on three different continents. Their call for applications is divided into two parts: the Bellagio Center Call and the General Call. The Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center Call is distinct, as it is exclusively for late career, highly accomplished artists. Whereas our General Call is for a much broader community of qualified artists at five different residencies. They are proud to present their 7th annual AIR shortlists.
The Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center Shortlist is:
- Akin Omotoso | Film | South Africa
- Ebele Okoye | Film | Nigeria
- Gabeba Baderoon | Literature | South Africa
- Helen Moffett | Literature | South Africa
- Juliane Okot Bitek | Literature |Uganda
- Kwame Dawes | Literature | Ghana
- Olalekan Jeyifous | Visual Arts | Nigeria
- Philip Miller | Composer | South Africa
- Raimi Olakunle Gbadamosi | Visual Arts | South Africa
- Salem Mekuria | Film | Ethiopia
- Victoria-Idongesit Udonian | Visual Arts | Nigeria
- Wangui wa Goro | Literature | Kenya
- Zoe Wicomb | Literature | South Africa
Their General Competition awards residencies at Bundanon Trust (Australia); Fountainhead Residency (USA); Instituto Sacatar (Brazil); and the International Studio and Curatorial Program (USA). They’re happy to announce the Djerassi Resident Artist Program as a new additional residency. Djerassi is located in a spectacular rural setting in the Santa Cruz Mountains overlooking the Pacific Ocean in California. They are offering a month long residency specifically for writers.
Our shortlist for these residencies includes:
- Abel Tilahun | Visual Art | Ethiopia
- Chibuike Uzoma | Visual Art | Nigeria
- Christian Van Eeden | Visual Art | South Africa
- Ed Young | Visual Art | South Africa
- Gerald Ralph Tawanda Machona | Visual Art | South Africa
- Heran Abate | Literature | Ethiopia
- Ifeatu Nnaobi | Visual Art | Nigeria
- Ivy Chemutai Ng’ok | Visual Art | Kenya
- Jared Onyango | Performance Art | Kenya
- Joseph Kaifala | Literature | Sierra Leone
- Kantarama Gahigiri | Film | Rwanda
- Kitso Lynn Lelliott | Visual Art | Botswana
- Lindokuhle Nkosi | Literature | South Africa
- Malebo Sephodi | Literature | South Africa
- Mbithi Masya | Film | Kenya
- Nengi Omuku | Visual Art | Nigeria
- Omar Ba | Visual Art | Senegal
- Timothy Kimutai | Literature | Kenya
- Verashni Pillay | Literature | South Africa
- Younes Baba – Ali | Visual + Sound Art | Morocco
Thanks to all of the African artists who made submissions and congratulations to these 34 shortlisted applicants! Winners of the General and Bellagio Calls will be announced in February and April respectively.
