The STARTS4AFRICA Residency Program is a venture designed to foster innovation at the intersection of art, science, and technology. Through six-month residencies, the program seeks to empower artists in four African countries: Senegal, Ghana, Tanzania, and Africa. These residencies serve as a platform for artists to engage with and address regional challenges in various thematic areas.
The program focuses on specific domains such as Food and Water, Digital Mapping and Speculative Landscapes, Culture and Coding, Wearable Technology and Smart Textiles, Immersive Storytelling, Rethinking Sustainable Construction, and Speculative Urbanism. Each thematic area presents an opportunity for artists to explore and contribute innovative solutions that blend artistic creativity with technological advancements.
By bringing together artists and experts in science and technology, STARTS4AFRICA aims to create a collaborative environment where art-driven innovation can thrive. The residency program provides a structured framework for artists to immerse themselves in their chosen thematic area, conduct research, and develop projects that address the challenges and opportunities unique to the region.
Participating artists benefit not only from the opportunity to work on real-world challenges but also from the cross-disciplinary exchange that occurs during the residency. The program emphasizes the importance of integrating artistic perspectives into the innovation process, recognizing the valuable insights artists can bring to complex issues.
STARTS4AFRICA aims to elevate innovation through six-month residencies in four African nations: Senegal, Ghana, Tanzania, and Africa. This groundbreaking initiative is designed to empower artists to drive innovation and address local challenges in areas such as Food and Water, Digital Mapping and Speculative Landscapes, Culture and Coding, Wearable Technology and Smart Textiles, Immersive Storytelling, Rethinking Sustainable Construction, and Speculative Urbanism. The program seeks to harness the creative potential of artists in developing solutions for regional issues, fostering a collaborative environment that integrates art and technology to reimagine and address pressing challenges in these diverse sectors.
Eligibility Criteria For The STARTS4AFRICA Residency Program
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, Africa, 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
Residencies Programme
STARTS4AFRICA will support selected applicants through a programme that includes a 6-month residency starting in March 2024, as well as multiple exhibitions and events during the residency period and thereafter until November 2024.
Benefits
Up to € 35.000 budget for artists residencies
- Up to EUR 35.000 budget for artists residencies to cover the artist fee, the organisation 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 individualised Mentoring Programme (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.
Expected outputs 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 organising online or on-site local/ national events, masterclasses, and seminars to (i) share experience in participating in 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.
Method of Application
Proposals for the STARTS4AFRICA Residencies Programme must be submitted online, through the Online Form, available here (Jotform). The Application Form is composed of:
- Online form (available here): 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).
Application Deadline: February 18, 2024, 17h00 Central European Time.
For More Information,
