The Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos (CCA Lagos) invites artists, curators, writers and cultural practitioners from Africa and the African Diaspora to apply for the 2027 edition, taking place in Grand-Bassam and Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
16 September 2026
Open Call:
Applications are open for the 2027 edition of Àsìkò Art School, a four-week programme combining a laboratory, workshop and residency.
Centred on the theme The Value of Making Is Here, the programme asks how artists can create value without reproducing the extractive economies in which they work. It considers how artistic practice can generate economic, cultural and social value while strengthening the communities, people and ecologies from which that value emerges.
Taking place between Grand-Bassam and Abidjan, the programme engages with local craft traditions, material knowledge, production and creative economies. Participants will explore making as a form of knowledge production, with attention to sustainability, value creation, collective responsibility and cultural continuity.
The 2027 edition is structured around four areas of inquiry: Craft, Fashion & Textile, Design and Art.
Institutional Context:
Àsìkò Art School is a programme made possible by the Teiger Foundation and organised by the Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos.
The 2027 programme brings together a Pan-African cohort, international facilitators, and craft communities in Grand-Bassam and Abidjan. The programme prioritises process, dialogue, experimentation and collective learning, culminating in a shared public outcome.
Activities are scheduled five days a week and include workshops, discussions, portfolio reviews, critique sessions and engagement with local craft practitioners and communities. The programme is delivered primarily in French, with English support.
Eligibility & Criteria:
The open call is primarily aimed at artists, curators, writers and cultural practitioners from Africa and the African Diaspora, with priority given to practitioners based on the African continent.
The programme welcomes practitioners working across areas including:
- Visual arts
- Photography
- Film and video
- Installation
- Sculpture
- Painting
- Ceramics
- Textile and fashion
- Sound and music
- Social practice
- Writing and publishing
- Curating
- Research
Artists must have been professionally active for at least three years. Curators and writers must have at least two years of professional experience.
Applicants must be available for the full programme in Côte d’Ivoire from 3–30 April 2027, as well as mandatory online sessions before and after the in-person programme. Applicants should be comfortable working in French or English and open to engaging across the two languages.
Selected applicants will participate in a short interview process. Applicants can indicate any accessibility requirements in the application form.
Previous participants who have taken part in Àsìkò more than once are not eligible to apply.
Practical Information:
Programme: Àsìkò Art School 2027
Theme: The Value of Making Is Here
Location: Grand-Bassam and Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
Programme dates: 3–30 April 2027
Duration: Four weeks
Application deadline: 27 September 2026
Participation fee: USD 400 for resident/local participants; USD 800 for non-resident participants
Fee deadline: 1 March 2027
Accommodation: Provided for non-resident participants
Lunch: Provided on teaching days
Travel: Non-resident participants are responsible for their travel and living expenses
Financial support: Limited financial support may be available for selected participants
The participation fee contributes to programme operations, a modest production budget and the final project.
Applications & Queries:
Applications can be submitted through the Àsìkò Art School application form.
For questions, contact asikoartschool@gmail.com or @asiko_artschool on Instagram.
Application deadline: 27 September 2026.
For more information, please refer to the official website.
