The value of an artwork is often determined in part by an artist’s career trajectory, exhibition, and sales history. These factors can influence an art valuation and estimated prices at exhibitions and auctions. Artists are always on the lookout for new ways to explore new ideas and perspectives or fine-tune their craftsmanship and art residencies provide the best opportunities to achieve some of their artistic goals.
What is an art residency?
An art residency is an opportunity for artists to focus their time and energy solely on their practice in a creative space while working with or alongside other art practitioners. A standard art residency program offers the time, space, and financial backing that can make a difference in an artist’s practice.
Art residencies for African artists
There’s no ignoring the gap between the opportunities available to African artists living on the continent, artists of African descent living outside the continent, or their white counterparts, as there’s simply less funding available to the African art ecosystem. The minimal or lack of interest from the government in promoting and developing the arts sector in a country is a challenge in itself for African artists. However, this challenge amongst others, as stifling as it might be to an artist’s morale, has not stopped them from reaching for where the grass is seemingly green.
In recent years, we have witnessed a rise in artist residency programs tailored to African artists and sponsored by private individuals or companies. Knowing the importance of artistic experimentation and cross-cultural collaboration, active art spaces like Gallery 1957, Institute Museum of Ghana (Noldor Residency), G.A.S. Foundation, and so on have created vital spaces of dialogues for artists to thrive in. There are also artist-led residencies like dot.ateliers by Amaoko Boafo, Black Rock Senegal by Kehinde Wiley, Savannah Centre for Contemporary Arts (SCCA) by Ibrahim Mahama, and Kamene Art Residency by Kaloki Nyamai, amongst others encouraging emerging and established artists to engage with new and diverse spaces. Gasworks, Cité Internationale des Arts, and Künstlerhaus Bethanien, amongst others, are examples of residencies outside Africa open to artists of African descent.
Why you should choose an art residency?
Oftentimes, an artist needs to explore new places, cultures, and people for inspiration. An art residency can give them a chance to travel and open them up to new experiences. It is an opportunity to expand on their artistic style, technique, narrative, and materials.
Working side by side with other artists with similar or different styles is another way to connect and collaborate in residencies. This kind of collaboration and connection can serve as motivation to create and lead to more opportunities for the artist in the long run.
Artists often have a project they’re currently working on or one they’d like to investigate further. At the end of most residencies, residents are given a chance to present their work to the public, which can include gallerists, curators, and collectors. This is an opportunity for an artist to connect with a wider audience, probably sell their work, and get commissions.
Iyanuoluwa Adenle is a Nigerian art writer, essayist, and poet based in Lagos. She is currently the head writer at Omenai. Adenle has contributed to a number of art publications, including Tender Photo, Art News Africa, Pavillon 54, and Omenai.
