Applications Open
Guest Artists Space Foundation (G.A.S.) in partnership with the Yinka Shonibare Foundation (Y.S.F.) is thrilled to announce the third edition of the prestigious G.A.S. Fellowship Award. This year, two fully-funded six-week residencies at G.A.S. Lagos are being offered to outstanding mid-career professionals based and actively working on the African continent: one residency for a mid-career visual fine artist and one residency for a mid-career curator.
The residencies will take place strictly between the following dates:
- Residency 1 (Mid-Career Visual Fine Artist): 5th May - 14th June 2025 (6 weeks)
- Residency 2 (Mid-Career Curator): 16th June - 25th July 2025 (6 weeks)
The residencies fall under the wider scope of Project Nexus, an ambitious residency and education programme designed to nurture and empower artists, art educators, art historians, and curators through a series of residencies, professional development workshops, and educational initiatives over three years. The project embodies the spirit of collaboration and cultural exchange that lies at the heart of both Foundations’ missions, aiming to encourage and cultivate artistic excellence and curatorial innovation. Project Nexus is generously supported by Deutsche Bank.
We encourage all applicants to thoroughly read the G.A.S. Fellowship Award Information Pack linked below before submitting their application to ensure that they meet all criteria.
Residency 1: Visual Fine Artist
Dates: May 5 – June 14, 2025
For this edition of the G.A.S. Fellowship Award, we invite applications from mid-career visual fine artists whose work fosters meaningful dialogue between diverse communities and cultural perspectives. We are seeking artists who actively engage others in their practice, building relationships that transcend individual or geographic boundaries. We encourage proposals that emphasise collaboration, co-creation and shared learning, as the residency is designed to cultivate a vibrant space for creative and intellectual exchange. Whether through partnerships, cross-disciplinary approaches, or cross-cultural interactions, your ability to work collaboratively and harness the transformative potential of cultural exchange will play a central role in the selection process.
As part of the residency, the selected fellow will be expected to contribute a session to our Ìmòra Arts Intensive, an initiative dedicated to supporting emerging local talent set to take place between the 9th and 13th of June 2025. The programme takes its name from the Yoruba words “Ìmòra” (support, guidance, mentorship) and “ìmò ẹkọ” (acquisition of knowledge or skill-building). This one-week intensive professional development programme, hosted at G.A.S. Lagos, will focus on providing mentorship and skill-building opportunities for ten rising local creative practitioners and will be available through a separate open call early in 2025. As part of the application process, applicants will be required to submit a brief proposal detailing their planned contribution to the Ìmòra Arts Intensive. This could take the form of a masterclass, workshop, artist talk, or any other activity designed to actively engage and inspire the intensive cohort.
Residency 2: Curator
Dates: June 16 – July 25, 2025
For this edition of the G.A.S. Fellowship Award, we invite applications from curators whose practices consider pedagogical methodologies as tools for connecting with audiences, expanding access to exhibition spaces, and fostering meaningful community dialogue around artistic practices and outputs. This is an opportunity to explore curatorial strategies that not only respond to but also have the potential to actively shape local cultural contexts and conversations.
As part of the application process, curators will be asked to submit an initial proposal for an exhibition or intervention to be realised at G.A.S. Lagos. Whilst we understand that proposals will evolve and change in response to the residency experience, they should demonstrate a thoughtful approach to local engagement, and reimagining curatorial possibilities within the unique cultural and creative ecosystem of Lagos. Applicants are encouraged to consider the city’s cultural diversity, its dynamic creative networks, and opportunities for rethinking the role of access, and participation. The selected curator will use their residency to further refine and develop their proposal through on-the-ground research, culminating in the realisation of an exhibition or intervention at G.A.S. Lagos. The exhibition is scheduled to run from 21st July to 15th August (4 weeks), with its opening week coinciding with the final week of the residency.
The Residency Award
- A £1,750 Travel Allowance: This covers economy flights or other transportation to Lagos, any necessary visas, travel medication, and travel insurance.
- A £1,000 Honorarium.
- A £1,000 Stipend: This covers basic living expenses and the purchase of any residency-specific materials. We recommend that residents bring any specialist materials with them. Any trips or excursions outside of Lagos will incur an additional cost with the exception of the G.A.S. Farm House.
- A £250 Materials Budget (Residency 1) or a £900 Exhibition Production Budget (Residency 2)
- Accommodation and Cleaning: In Lagos, residents are allocated a private bedroom with an ensuite. The building is serviced by cleaners and room cleans can be booked on a weekly basis. Lagos residents have access to a shared studio/event space as well as the G.A.S. Library and Picton Archive on site.
- Pastoral Care and Residency Support: The G.A.S. team are on-site Monday to Friday to support the needs of residents and help with booking trips and visits, organising meetings, and accessing the library.
- Driver and Security: Residents have access to the G.A.S. Driver and Security on weekdays. This service also includes airport transfers.
- Event/Exhibition Production Support: The G.A.S. team provides production support to help with the successful delivery of your exhibition.
Join our Online Information Session
G.A.S. Foundation and Yinka Shonibare Foundation are hosting an online information session for prospective applicants to the G.A.S. Fellowship Award 2025 on Thursday 19th December. During the session, we’ll cover:
- - The application process and eligibility criteria.
- - Residency details, including programme expectations, dates, and the award.
- - Insights into the wider Project Nexus initiative, supported by Deutsche Bank.
There will be an opportunity for attendees to ask questions ahead of completing their application.
Date: 19th December 2024
Time: 2:00pm GMT / 3:00pm WAT
Location: Online (Zoom Webinar)
Key Dates
- Applications Open: 12th December 2024
- Online Information Session: 19th December 2024 at 2:00pm GMT / 3:00pm WAT
- Applications Close: 12th January 2025 at 23:59 WAT
- Announcement of Fellows: w/c 10th February 2025
