S+T+ARTS Afropean Intelligence Residencies Program 2025

Omran Aburayya
13 hours ago
2 min read

The S+T+ARTS Afropean Intelligence Residencies Program 2025 is a groundbreaking initiative designed to empower African artists at the intersection of science, technology, and the arts. Spanning from January 2025 to June 2026, this program offers ten fully funded residencies across five African countries: Nigeria, Egypt, Tunisia, South Africa, and the Democratic Republic of Congo .

🌍 Program Overview

Objective: To support African artists in exploring and reshaping narratives around artificial intelligence (AI), cultural heritage, and social justice through interdisciplinary collaboration.

🌐 Residency Locations and Hosts:

Nigeria (Abuja): Gallery of Code (NG) in partnership with GLUON (BE)
Egypt (Alexandria): B’sarya (EG) in partnership with Chroniques (FR)
Tunisia (Tunis): Interference (TN) in partnership with Chroniques (FR)
South Africa (Johannesburg): Fak’ugesi (ZA) in partnership with Chroniques (FR)
Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa & Mbuji-Mayi): Krithika Art Projects and Academy of Fine Arts Kinshasa (DRC) in partnership with AfricaMuseum (BE)

🎯 Thematic Challenges

Each residency addresses a specific challenge at the nexus of AI and African cultural contexts:

Intercultural AI: Exploring AI's cultural biases and promoting inclusivity.
Data that Nourishes: Integrating indigenous knowledge into AI for sustainable food systems.
Plural Computation: Reimagining urban and rural spaces through artistic and technological practices.
Psychogeography and the Influence of AI: Investigating AI's impact on human interaction with spaces.
Archives & Memory: Examining the role of AI in preserving and interpreting historical narratives.
ZaZi – An African Educational AI Model: Developing AI tools for inclusive education.
Beyond Borders: Addressing climate change and resource justice through AI and ancestral knowledge.
Digital Lukasa: Reviving Luba memory tablets using AI to preserve cultural heritage.
Provenance and Social Memory: Utilizing AI in the restitution and preservation of Congolese artworks.
Futurism and Geolocation: Employing AI to improve urban mobility in Kinshasa .

💰 Program Benefits

Residency Duration: 8 months
Funding: Up to €20,000 per residency, covering artist fees, production costs, travel, and accommodation.
Support: Access to technology experts, particularly in AI, and guidance from both African and European host institutions.
Networking: Integration into the S+T+ARTS network, comprising over 10,000 members worldwide.
Events: Participation in a 5-day AI Bootcamp in Johannesburg and artistic events in various African cities .

📝 Application Details

Eligibility: Open to individual artists or collectives with at least one member who is a national or permanent resident of an African country.
Application Deadline: June 27, 2025, at 10:00 AM UTC.
Submission: Applications can be submitted through the official platform.
Resources: Applicants are encouraged to consult the Guide for Applicants and the Challenges Booklet for detailed information