The call-out for the inaugural G.A.S. Fellowship Award was announced in February 2022 in tandem with the local launch of Guest Artists Space. The fully supported opportunity was open to emerging creative practitioners across all disciplines living within the West African region and initially offered three one-month residencies across our sites in Lagos and Ikise.

The judging panel was impressed by both the talent and breadth of creative disciplines. Following a review of all 160 applications submitted via the open call, they decided to increase the number of opportunities from three to seven fully funded residencies.

It is with great pleasure that we present the first cohort of G.A.S. Fellowship Award recipients.

The first TURN2 resident to arrive in Lagos is Berlin based Lynhan Balatbat Helbock, a curator and researcher at SAVVY Contemporary, where she is part of the participatory archive project Colonial Neighbours. Ahead of her residency, which commences in May 2022, Lynhan discusses her practice and her hopes for the trip.

TURN2 is a programme developed by the German Federal Cultural Foundation to facilitate artistic co-creation between Germany and African countries. The TURN2 Residencies were devised to facilitate research for emerging curators and cultural practitioners with curatorial experience based in Germany and on the African continent with ambitions to make them the starting point for more international collaborations and knowledge-sharing opportunities.

TURN2 is a programme developed by the German Federal Cultural Foundation to facilitate artistic co-creation between Germany and African countries. The TURN2 Residencies were devised to facilitate research for emerging curators and cultural practitioners with curatorial experience based in Germany and on the African continent with ambitions to make them the starting point for more international collaborations and knowledge-sharing opportunities.

Rewatch the conversation between Yinka Shonibare CBE RA and Creative Director of CCA Lagos Oyindamola Fakeye that took place on 26th February 2022 at G.A.S. Lagos.

In 2021 Akwasi Bediako Afrane received the Guest Projects Digital 2021 Artist in Focus Award, an opportunity to showcase his practice across the Guest Projects, Yinka Shonibare Foundation and G.A.S. Foundation digital channels. We caught up with him recently to find out more about the developments in his professional career since working with us.

On 21st April, Yinka Shonibare Foundation Managing Director, Belinda Holden, will be joining an exciting panel of speakers in Venice to discuss the future and potential of artist-led programmes in Africa. 

In tandem with the launch of our international artist residency programme in Nigeria, Guest Artist Space (G.A.S.) and Yinka Shonibare Foundation are delighted to announce a call out for the inaugural G.A.S. Fellowship Awards.

⁠Throughout March 2022 University of the Arts London Colleges and Institutes open research and knowledge exchange to staff, students and the public. Hosting Ideas for Progress, sees Yinka Shonibare CBE RA in conversation with Director of Autograph ABP, Mark Sealy OBE.

On 26th February we were finally able to unveil our new building in Lagos. The highlight of the day was a discussion between Yinka Shonibare CBE RA and Creative Director of CCA Lagos Oyindamola Fakeye.

On 20th February we celebrated the local launch of our new residency space in Ijebu, Nigeria with guests from Lagos, dignitaries and villagers from Ikise.