Across Africa, art residencies are emerging as powerful spaces for creativity, exchange, and transformation. They are more than temporary homes for artists—they are incubators for dialogue, collaboration, and cross-cultural understanding. This article takes readers inside some of the continent’s most dynamic residencies, revealing how these platforms are fostering intercontinental connections, supporting cultural mobility, and shaping Africa’s creative future.

Art residencies generally take artists out of their comfort living and working zones and in place, offers them new and inspiring environments to indulge in their creative processes and practices. Across the African continent, aside from the facilities and sometimes mentorship or networking opportunities that art residencies provide, sharing of perspectives and cultural resources takes place amongst the participants and on a broader scale with the communities. A few notable residencies enabling such creative circuits include dot.ateliers|South Labadi in Accra Ghana, Foundation Dar Bellarj in Marrakech, Nafasi Art Space in Dar es Salaam, Black Rock Senegal and Tankwa Artscape, which is an off-the-grid residency in one of the most arid regions of South Africa.

dot.ateliers | South Labadi – Accra, Ghana

Beninese artist Nobel Koty, and Nigerian artists Nnenna Chukwumereogo Okeke and Christopher Samuel Idowu are currently exhibiting works in the post-residency group show “Somethings Just Don’t Wash Off,” which brings together the three artists; to explore identity, human perceptions and existential dilemmas at the intersection of space and power. The shared conceptual takeoff point is an opportunity to look at the human body as not only a biological structure, but a living archive of experiences- a canvas of identity, and a site for transformation. The West African artists are not holding back with engaging multiple aspects of presence and historical reflection, using both primary and experimental mediums.

Christopher Samuel Idowu’s Nsoroma: To Become Children of Heavens and Nobel Koty’s Rest 1. Photography by Nii Odzenma, Courtesy of dot.ateliers

Christopher Samuel Idowu from Nigeria uses silkscreen, pigment and photographic experimentation to explore life cycles and regeneration, with focus on the meeting points of storytelling, symbolism and existential commentary. Nobel Koty on the other hand employs self portraiture to reveal the hidden spectra of human emotions where vulnerability is given the mandate to shape identity. The artist proposes a reflection on layered histories by way of the human body. By experimenting with beeswax, jute sacks, and charcoal, Chukwumereogo Okeke discusses gender roles, relations, and inequalities. Okeke engages how geographical and sociopolitical structures influence spatial and personal access and representation. Founded by artist Amoako Boafo, dot.ateliers has been providing resources since December 2022 for resident artists to experience a 6 to 12-week residency, with access to a fully equipped studio, comfortable accommodation, and a materials stipend to deepen their artistic research and practices. Other resident alumni include Togolese artist Sadikou Oukpedjo, Kenyan artist Velma Rosai Makhandia and more. 

Nafasi Art Space – Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Nafasi Art Space in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, possesses vast facilities which accommodate artists for experimental interdisciplinary contemporary interventions. The space comprises extensive open grounds consisting of studios, gallery and exhibition spaces, an art academy, film amphitheater, art library, supply shop, music rehearsal space and more. Nafasi Art Space encourages interactions and potential collaboration with the local Tanzanian artist community. Kenyan visual artist Mike Kyalo, who specializes in paintings and 2D sculptures and Tumpa Agathon from Mulunguzi village in the Democratic Republic of Congo, who creates abstract portraiture in wood, iron, and stone are previous residents . Francois Knoetze from Cape Town, whose work explores junctures between material and social histories, Kenyan lens-based artist James Muriuki, and Serge Diakota; a sculpting, painting and photography installation artist from the Democratic Republic of Congo, are also resident alumni of Nafasi.

Sali Oyugi’s live performance- a Wikiendi Live event at Nafasi.

Tankwa Artscape – Tankwa Karoo, South Africa

Founded in 2017 in Tankwa Karoo, South Africa’s Tankwa Artscape Residency is a two week artist residency where one can observe a unique experience in the desert for the most part. Artists can lodge in tents in the desolate landscape, while working in multidisciplinary fields like site-responsive sculptural interventions, sound, movement and performance art, or vocal performances including spoken word. Found materials can be the driving force for diving deeply into the creative processes. 

Artist: Akissi Beukman, Photographed by Frank Krummacher 

The conceptual focus is on interacting creatively with the vast environment of the Tankwa Karoo and the history, politics, ecology and culture of the place. Interdependence becomes a vital tool, as artists encounter scarcity and contemplate the impact of humanity on Earth. Among the artists who have been residents of Tankwa, are Marcelino Manhula and Adriana Jamisse from Mozambique, Akissi Beukman from Ivory Coast and South Africa, and ‘Matlali Matabane from Lesotho.

Artist ‘Matlali Matabane. Photographed by Di Smith 

Black Rock Senegal – Dakar, Senegal

In 2019, renowned artist Kehinde Wiley founded Black Rock Senegal for artists to “explore [their] personal relationship with Africa”. Since then, Black Rock has grown to join the Biennale de Dakar as part of a thriving creative scene propelling Senegal and the African continent. The multidisciplinary artist-in-residence program derives its name from the volcanic rocks across the northwest coast of Dakar shoreline. For collaborative exchanges and to incite change in the global discourse about Africa, artists can apply for 1–3 month stays for a conducive environment in close proximity to the Atlantic ocean, to focus on their creative pursuits and gain new insights into their practices. A year after the program was launched, Black Rock could already boast of hosting 15 artists from 4 continents working on film, literature, mixed media, painting, photography, sculpture and textiles.

Some artists from the continent and its diaspora who have been at Black Rock include Delali Ayivor, Abdi Farah, Mbali Dhlamini, Collins Obijiaku, Abdel El-Tayeb, Anthony Akinbola, Christina Kimeze, Natalie Baszile and more. Mbali Dhlamini had the chance to learn about indigo; the distinctive blue natural dye during her residency period in 2021.  “I was fortunate enough to meet women who are still practicing indigo in Casamance and Sine Saloum. These women shared with me ancestral processes, opened their homes to me, and allowed me to interview them about it,” Dhlamini recalls. Currently at Black Rock, the last call for applications for the 2025-2026 window happened in April this year, after the 2024-2025 residency ended. 

Mbali Dhlamini, Zohra Opoku, Heather Jones, Kambui Olujimi, Ytasha Womack, and Grace Lynne Haynes at Black Rock Senegal. 

Foundation Dar Bellarj – Marrakech, Morocco

Located in the heart of the Medina of Marrakech, the Dar Bellarj Foundation by Susanna Biedermann, encompasses a residency as part of the Charita festival. Since 2018, Charita has been a programme of artistic interventions in public spaces in Marrakech, complemented by film screenings and conversations held collaboratively by the Foundation Dar Bellarj and LE 18/Qanat. Rim Mejdi and Francesca Masoero are curators for Charita. The location of the residency in the heart of the Medina of Marrakech does not only make it a connecting space for artists and Marrakesh residents, but carves a cultural hub out of Morocco’s architectural and vibrant artistic heritage. Teresa Menka, a Ghanaian artist who was recently a resident in the program, believes that the opportunity to work in this new environment and engage outside her home country with the Dar Bellarj/Charita community was inspiring. “It allowed me to continue creating and experimenting in my practice. I especially appreciated the chance to work alongside young female curators. It was an encouraging and refreshing experience,” Menka mentions. 

Ghanaian artist Teresa Menka at Dar Bellarj/Charita residency. Photo Courtesy of the Artist. 

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Kwame Aidoo is a Ghanaian writer whose work has been featured in ArtReview, StirWorld, Something We Africans Got, The Lead UK, NUDA, Culture Trip, NATAAL, and more. With a passion for storytelling that honours both heritage and innovation, Kwame brings a keen eye for detail and cultural nuance to his writing.

In this feature, he not only documents the diversity of Africa’s residency programmes but also underlines their potential as engines for cultural diplomacy and sector growth. His work reminds us that strengthening these platforms through public investment, policy support, and continental collaboration is essential to building a sustainable and interconnected African creative economy.

Kwame Aidoo, Ghanaian writer