A few weeks ago i moderated a panel featuring directors of arts organisations on the theme of shaping artistic pathways for ArtX Lagos’ ART X Collective development forum.
The conversation focused on artistic residencies and it’s role in the creative ecosystem.
Here are a few things i wanted to share from that conversation that i think are super valuable for creatives and artists:
1. Where you are and what you need:
Are you begining, emerging or advanced in your career? Do you need a space to experiment or build up on existing projects? I think knowing this information really helps you narrow down what kinds of residencies you apply for to get the maximum from the experience. I find it also helps you reduce application and rejection fatigue. So rather than just joining the hampster wheel of applications and open calls, you can be specifc about finding something that meets your needs.
2. Portfolio:
Creating a strong portfoilio is crucial both for your residency applications and your work in general. Make sure that even though your work is varied in style and materiality, there is a central story or theme that connects them together. This really shows how you are thinking and operating. It shows what your art is trying to say.
3. Develop your voice:
Take your time to develop your voice, know what is meaningful to you and how you want to exist in the world through your art. By doing, this you don’t jump from trend to trend or from whats hot to whats not.
It also means that when you get accepted into residencies or artistic programmes, you use the opportunities to strenghten and advance the things you are building rather than switch gears every couple of months.
PS- I recognise that for artists living in countries like Nigeria, these decisions aren’t easy. People need the stipend from these programmes and the names for their resumes. So a lot of the time intention goes out the window because opportunities are limited and we take them regardless of whether they work for us or not. But i maintain that crafting a more intentional career still remains more financially and artistically rewarding in the long term.
