Applications are currently being accepted for the STARTS4AFRICA Residency Programme, marking the initiation of the first dedicated STARTS Residency Programme for fostering innovation in Sub-Saharan Africa at the intersection of Science, Technology, and Arts.
The STARTS4AFRICA Residency Programme, spanning six months, aims to amplify innovation driven by art in Senegal, Ghana, Tanzania, and Nigeria. This groundbreaking initiative empowers artists to address regional challenges encompassing Food and Water, Digital Mapping and Speculative Landscapes, Culture and Coding, Wearable Technology and Smart Textile, Immersive Storytelling, Rethinking Sustainable Construction, and Speculative Urbanism.
Eligibility Criteria:
STARTS4AFRICA invites proposals from individual artists or artist collectives with prior experience who meet one of the following criteria:
- Nationals of countries covered by STARTS4AFRICA (DR Congo, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, and Tanzania) or permanent residents in any Sub-Saharan African country.
- Artistic teams comprising artists from both Europe and Sub-Saharan African countries.
Residencies Programme:
Selected applicants will receive support through a comprehensive program, including a six-month residency starting in March 2024. The program encompasses multiple exhibitions and events throughout the residency period, until November 2024.
Benefits:
- Budget of up to €35,000 for artists’ residencies, covering the artist fee, organization and participation in artistic exhibitions and events, and other relevant costs for successful project implementation.
- Access to resources and facilities provided by the Residency Host Institution.
- Assistance from the Local Expert Group.
- Involvement in a personalized mentoring Program, encompassing sessions tailored to business-specific and technology/science-related aspects.
- Access to the Europe-wide S+T+ARTS network.
- Participation in S+T+ARTS4AFRICA Community events (online and on-site).
- Participation in exhibitions showcasing residency outcomes at the Ars Electronica Festival in September 2024 in Linz and/or other festivals and venues upon selection.
- Enhanced visibility via impactful communication initiatives to advocate for the artistic output and its innovation ramifications.
Anticipated Outcomes from Artists:
- Development of a tangible, presentable, and art-driven innovation output that addresses a local challenge, presented in the form of an artwork or a functional or speculative artistic prototype.
- Submission (at the commencement of the residency) of a descriptive abstract for the art-driven innovation output and a development plan outlining the objectives, actions, timetable, and necessary setup for its implementation.
- Active participation in the organization of online or on-site local or national events, masterclasses, and seminars. This involvement serves the dual purpose of sharing experiences gained from participating in the STARTS4AFRICA Residency Program and promoting the results of the residency. A minimum of 6 online or on-site local or national events, as well as participation in international events, is expected. The specifics of these events will be discussed, agreed upon, and co-organized with the Residency Host Institutions.
- Engagement in dissemination and communication efforts related to the residency, which includes sharing posts on social media, generating articles for dissemination on websites (such as starts. eu), and participating in written audio, or video interviews,.
- Contribution to the Impact Assessment Analysis conducted by the STARTS4AFRICA Consortium and the Residency Host Institutions.
Application Procedure:
Proposals for the STARTS4AFRICA Residencies Programme should be submitted through the Online Form, accessible on the provided link (Jotform). The Application Form includes:
- Online form (accessible here): containing administrative information and declarations.
- Artistic Proposal (a template document, downloadable here, to be uploaded into the online form).
- Curriculum Vitae (to be submitted and uploaded to the online form).
- Portfolio (to be submitted and uploaded to the online form).
For additional details,
Application Deadline: February 18, 2024, 17:00 Central European Time.
