Faculties
Dr. David Anderson Hooker
NARRATIVE TRANSFORMATION
Dr. Ernst Wagner
ARTS AND VISUAL CULTURES
Dr. Avi Sooful
ARTS AND VISUAL CULTURES
Brendon Bell Roberts
MEDIA AND ARTISTIC CURATION
Are you eligible ?
The call invites artists between 21-35 years old, experienced with artistic creation in the context of social justice issues and committed to collaborative work. You must bring your own concerns and community experiences in the context of the program's theme. We aim to have multiple and diverse perspectives in order to address together the intersectionalities that arise.
Medium: The program is focused on artists working with 2d practices: paper, printing and others.
Harnessing the power of art as a tool for social movements.
Are you a young artist, interested in societal issues and experienced in political art? Are you interested in international collaboration emerging from a program that includes a training phase and a residency in South Africa?
4 Pillars
Where?
The Residency Programme will occur online, and in person in Gauteng Province, South Africa.
When?
April till June 2025.
OVERVIEW
Notions of change happen individually and collectively. In a world where personal challenges are echoed in others, these become sites for social justice. How could we shift from the singular my to ours? How could we reimagine my into the plurals and transform it into ours: our life, our planet, our existence?
In the context of multi-dimensional and interconnected global crises (environmental, economic, social, political), this residency aims to collectively speculate and practice strategies in order to create movements which are plural and creative, considering that there's no life without a whole ecosystem of collaboration and codependency.
The residency will be a space to collectively reflect on mining through the investigation of physical and historical sites, both as a material practice of extraction, and as a metaphor for a mode of existence based on possession, separation and exploitation, inviting the group to move beyond this narrative. During the program, artistic practices will be explored in this context as a tool of contestation, mobilisation and resistance, in order to transform the narratives that imprint our landscapes, our economic and political systems, and our imaginaries.
1. Narrative Transformation
2. Arts
3. Mine(eing)
4. South Africa
Application Deadline
28 February 2025
Program Structure
Phase 01
Online Research
01/04/25 - 12/05/25
4 online meetings facilitated by academics, artists, and educators on arts as a tool for and a contradiction to social movements in the context of mining, introducing the thematic framework of the program.
Phase 02
24/05/25 - 08/06/25
In-person | Cohort Education Intensive in South Africa and immersion in the local context
In phase 2, you will be invited to go to South Africa, where you will get the chance to address the issue of mining through interdisciplinary perspectives mixing artistic and academic disciplines. There, you will participate in an intense educational journey with theoretical workshops and talks from researchers, visits to local institutions and sites connecting the theory to the local context.
Phase 03
08/06/25 - 22/06/25
In-person | Artistic Creation in South Africa + Exhibition
After delving into the theory and research phase, it will be time to create and develop an art intervention around the issue mining and climate crisis. This will also be a time to encounter and engage with local artists and communities! For 2 weeks you'll be creating artworks, unfolding the learnings and experiences of the previous stages around the issue of mining and climate crisis. The works will be displayed in South Africa for a one-week exhibition, inviting the public to engage in a dialogue with the works.
Phase 04
22/06/25 - 30/06/25
Hybrid | Continued support for activations in the participants communities
Going back home doesn't mean the end of the program. Through a broad community of institutions, partners and collaborations you will receive support to develop activations in your own community. The IofC, EVC and Art Africa networks will be accessible for you with connections, mentorship opportunities and resources (media and communication, spaces and venues, grants).
What can you expect?
A four-month program with 11 artists/activists colleagues, combining academic learning and research, cross-cultural exchange and artistic creation, accompanied by academics and art experts from around the world who are engaged with political and social justice issues.
An in-depth understanding of the interrelations of environmental crisis, colonial and neocolonial structures, xenophobia, and social movements, in the South African context and also on a global level, as well as a repertoire of possible strategies for analysing, addressing and mobilising around these issues.
The opportunity to explore and develop your artistic practice as part of a collective and by working with local artists and communities.
The opportunity to be part of a vibrant and diverse community of researchers, activists and artists, and to benefit from an infrastructure and resources to support your work in your own local context/community.
Funds and Resources
Before applying please make sure to check the visa conditions for South Africa applicable to your country. We can provide necessary documents to support you visa application. We encourage applications from people coming from historically marginalised backgrounds (BiPoC, women, LGBTQI + folks, indigenous folks, people with disabilities) or people with migration background.
The program covers all the costs during the in-person stage including accommodation, food, local transportation, as well as a stipend for art materials costs.
The final artworks will remain with IofC USA which keeps the right to exhibit internationally.
As an organisation based on inclusivity IofC has funds available for those who need financial support to participate in the programme. We do not want costs to prohibit anyone from applying to the program. We ask that if you are able and have the means to pay for travel costs that you do so, in order to enable us to ensure access and inclusion for those who need to be supported.
Partners
