Call For Applications: STARTS4AFRICA Artist Residency – Nigeria 2024 (up to €35,000)

About

Calling Artists, Researchers, technologists and multidisciplinary Teams in Nigeria to apply for the first STARTS Residency Program fully dedicated to promoting sub-Saharan Africa innovation at the nexus of Science + Technology + Arts. Through 6-month residencies, STARTS4AFRICA will enhance art-driven innovation in Nigeria.

This pioneering initiative will allow artists to address regional challenges around Food and Water, Digital Mapping and Speculative Landscapes, Culture and Coding, Wearable Technology and Smart Textile, Immersive Storytelling, Rethinking Sustainable Construction, and Speculative Urbanism.

Benefits

• Up to EUR 35,000 budget for artists’ residencies to cover the artist fee, the organization and participation at artistic exhibitions/events, and other relevant costs to ensure the successful implementation of the project (including but not limited to artwork/prototype production);
• Access to resources/facilities provided by the Residency Host Institution;
• Assistance from the Local Expert Group
• Participation in an individualized Mentoring Program (including business-specific and tech/sci-related sessions);
• Access to the Europe-wide S+T+ARTS network;
• Participation at the S+T+ARTS4AFRICA Community events (online and on-site);
• Considered participation in exhibitions showcasing the outcomes of the residencies at Ars Electronica Festival in September 2024 in Linz and/or other festivals and venues upon selection; and
• Visibility through high-impact communication activities to promote the artistic output and its innovation spillovers.

Eligibility

STARTS4AFRICA calls for proposals from an individual artist or a collective of artists, with previous experience:

• Nationals of the countries covered by STARTS4AFRICA (DR Congo, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, and Tanzania) or permanent residents in any country in Sub-Saharan Africa; OR,
• Artistic teams mixing artists from Europe and from Sub-Saharan African countries.

Expected Output from Artists

• Producing a tangible, presentable, and art-driven innovation output addressing a local challenge, in the form of an artwork or a functional or speculative artistic prototype;
• Providing (at the beginning of the residency) a descriptive abstract of the art-driven innovation output and a development plan describing the objectives, actions, timetable, and setup necessary for implementing it;
• Participating and organizing online or on-site local/ national events, masterclasses, and seminars to (i) share experience in participating in the STARTS4AFRICA Residency program; (ii) ensure the promotion of residency results. Participation in at least 6 online or on-site local/ national events is expected, as well as in international events (these events will be discussed, agreed and co-organized with the Residency Host Institutions);
• Actively participate in the dissemination and communication efforts of the Residency, sharing posts on social media, producing articles to be shared on websites (such as starts.eu), participating in written/audio/video interviews; and,
• Contributing to the Impact Assessment Analysis undertaken by STARTS4AFRICA Consortium and the Residency Host Institutions.

Application Process

Proposals for the STARTS4AFRICA Residencies Program must be submitted online, through the Online Form, available here. The Application Form is composed of:

• Online form: administrative information, declarations, etc.;
• Artistic Proposal (Template document to be downloaded here and uploaded into the Online Form);
• Your Curriculum Vitae (to be uploaded into the Online Form);
• Your Portfolio (to be uploaded into the Online Form).

Deadline: February 18, 2024

Click HERE to Apply