Applications Open
Guest Artists Space Foundation (G.A.S.), in partnership with the Yinka Shonibare Foundation (Y.S.F.), is thrilled to announce the fourth edition of the prestigious fully funded G.A.S. Fellowship Award. This year’s call, the largest to date, offers five residencies for Nigerian based and diaspora artists/writers and three residencies for artists based in the United States. These opportunities are open to outstanding emerging to mid-career arts professionals.
The residencies will take place strictly between the following dates:
Deutsche Bank – Funded Residencies (G.A.S. Lagos)
- - A. Emerging Nigerian Artists: 16th February – 13th March, 2026 | 4th May – 29th May, 2026 (4 weeks each)
- - B. Mid-Career Contemporary Art Writer: 24th August – 2nd October, 2026 (any 4 weeks between these dates)
Yinka Shonibare Foundation – Funded Residencies (G.A.S. Farm House, Ikise)
- - C. Nigerian Based & Diaspora Creatives: 27th April – 19th June, 2026 | 24th August – 15th October, 2026 (8 weeks each)
Terra Foundation for American Art – Funded Residencies (G.A.S. Farm House, Ikise)
- - D. U.S. Based Artists: 27th April – 19th June, 2026 | 24th August – 15th October, 2026 | 22nd October – 16th December, 2026 (8 weeks each)
The Deutsche Bank 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.
The Terra Foundation for American Art residencies form part of CULTIVATION: Art, Environment & Materiality, a two-year initiative supporting 10 residencies for U.S. based artists, particularly those of Indigenous, African, or multicultural heritage, fostering interdisciplinary exploration across the arts, ecology, agriculture, and sustainable material practices while promoting meaningful exchanges with local communities.
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.
Deutsche Bank – Funded Residencies (G.A.S. Lagos)
- Residency A. Emerging Nigerian Artists
- Dates: 16th February – 13th March, 2026 | 4th May – 29th May, 2026 (4 weeks each)
We invite applications from emerging visual artists whose work relates in some way to two of our main strands of inquiry: Materiality, Craft and Identity, and Archives & Publishing. We are seeking artists practicing across a range of mediums, including painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, photography, installation, video art, new media, or other interdisciplinary practices. Applicants should demonstrate a willingness to engage thoughtfully with the local environment and communities surrounding G.A.S. Lagos. We are interested in proposals that foreground experimentation, research, and highlight opportunities for meaningful community exchange, this could be with your peers, other artists and or wider public. Do look at past residents on our website and further information about past events to support your thinking.
As part of the residency, selected fellows will be expected to host a community engagement event in the final weeks of their residency. This can range from workshops, artist talks, masterclasses, open studios, participatory installations, or site-specific interventions. Fellows are encouraged to design sessions that actively involve local participants, foster dialogue, and reflect the themes of their residency.
- Residency B. Mid-Career Contemporary Art Writer
- Dates: 24th August – 2nd October, 2026 (any 4 weeks between these dates)
For this edition of the G.A.S. Fellowship Award, we invite applications from arts writers whose practice positions writing as a tool for reflection, dialogue, and critical engagement within the arts. This is an opportunity to explore pedagogical and research-driven methodologies that connect audiences, expand access to cultural knowledge, and foster meaningful conversations around artistic practices and outputs. As part of the application process, applicants will be asked to submit an outline for a three-day critical writing workshop to be realised at G.A.S. Lagos. While we understand that proposals may evolve during the residency, they should demonstrate a thoughtful approach to criticism, knowledge sharing, and audience participation.
Residency Award
- N1,900,000 Stipend, Travel & Materials Allowance: This contributes to basic food and living expenses, materials, economy flights or other required transportation to Lagos. We recommend that residents bring any specialist materials with them. Any trips or excursions outside of Lagos during the residency will incur costs payable by the resident with the exception of the G.A.S. Farm House. (For those writers in the Diaspora we encourage seeking additional mobility funding).
- N760,000 Residency Award / Honorarium (+N760,000 only for Writers workshop delivery)
- Shared Workspace, Library and Accommodation: In Lagos residents are allocated a private bedroom with desk and ensuite bathroom. 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, shared kitchen/diner as well as the G.A.S. Library and Picton Archive. One cooked meal a day is provided during weekdays.
- 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, 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 Production Support: The G.A.S. team provide production support to help with the successful delivery of your planned contribution.
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Yinka Shonibare Foundation – Funded Residencies (G.A.S. Farm House, Ikise)
- Residency C: Nigerian Based & Diaspora Creatives
- Dates: 27th April – 19th June, 2026 | 24th August – 15th October, 2026 (8 weeks each)
For this edition of the G.A.S. Fellowship Award, we invite applications from Nigerian arts practitioners whose work engages with themes of social and environmental sustainability. We are interested in practices that pay close attention to land, material, and community, whether through ecological research, sustainable making, culinary knowledge, or other forms of creative inquiry rooted in place. Proposals that reflect thoughtful engagement with the rural environment, and that embrace observation, collaboration, and exchange with local knowledge systems, are especially encouraged.
As part of the residency, applicants must submit a proposal for a three-day educational workshop for students and teachers at the nearby primary school. The workshop should draw from the artist’s practice and respond directly to the thematic focus of this call, offering hands-on, imaginative, or material-led activities that support learning and foster curiosity. Applicants are encouraged to consider how their approach can create meaningful connections between creative practice, the land, and the everyday experiences of the rural community.
Residency Award
- N3,800,000 Stipend, Travel & Materials Allowance: This contributes to basic food and living expenses, materials, economy flights or other required transportation to Lagos. We recommend that residents bring any specialist materials with them. Any trips or excursions outside of Lagos during the residency will incur costs payable by the resident. (For those in the Diaspora we encourage seeking additional mobility funding).
- N1,520,000 Residency Award / Honorarium
- Shared Workspace, Library and Accommodation: On the farm residents are allocated a private bedroom with a shared bathroom (between two). The building is serviced by a cleaner on a weekly basis. Lagos residents have access to two shared studio spaces, shared kitchen/diner as well as the G.A.S. Library and Picton Archive. Fresh produce is available in season.
- Pastoral Care and Residency Support: The Farm Manager is on-site Monday to Friday, and available on weekends to support residents, including assisting with trips and visits, organizing meetings, and accessing the library in Lagos.
- Driver and Security: Residents have the G.A.S. Driver for airport transfers to and from the farm. There is limited transport options off the farm.
- Event Production Support: The G.A.S. team provide production support to help with the successful delivery of your planned contribution.
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Terra Foundation for American Art – Funded Residencies (G.A.S. Farm House, Ikise)
- Residency D: U.S. Based Artists
- Dates: 27th April – 19th June, 2026 | 24th August – 15th October, 2026 | 22nd October – 16th December, 2026 (8 weeks each)
For this edition of the G.A.S. Fellowship Award, we invite applications from U.S. based visual arts practitioners. The Fellowship takes place at the G.A.S. Farm House in Ikise, offering immersion in the rural landscape of southwestern Nigeria. We welcome proposals that demonstrate close engagement with the environment, through ecological research, material experimentation, plant or culinary practices, and encourage approaches that are observational, collaborative, and informed by exchange with local communities and knowledge systems. We are particularly interested in practitioners whose work responds to two strands of inquiry: Ecology, Farming, and Food and Materiality, Craft and Identity.
Selected fellows will be expected to contribute a reflective film or written contribution such as an article, essay, or short research piece, capturing their residency experience and work. These films and texts will form part of a growing catalogue documenting residencies on the Farm. As part of the residency, selected fellows will also be expected to host a community engagement event in the final weeks of their residency. This can range from workshops, artist talks, masterclasses, open studios, participatory installations, or site-specific interventions. Fellows are encouraged to design sessions that actively involve local participants, foster dialogue, and reflect the themes of their residency.
Residency Award
- $2,500 Travel Allowance: This contributes towards economy flights or other transportation to Lagos, any necessary visas, travel medication, and travel insurance. Any trips or excursions outside of Lagos during the residency will incur additional costs payable by the resident.
- $3,900 Honorarium and Stipend award: This covers basic living expenses, Any materials. We recommend that residents bring any specialist materials with them.
- Shared Workspace, Library and Accommodation: On the farm residents are allocated a private bedroom with a shared bathroom (between two). The building is serviced by a cleaner on a weekly basis. Lagos residents have access to two shared studio spaces, shared kitchen/diner as well as the G.A.S. Library and Picton Archive. Fresh produce is available in season.
- Pastoral Care and Residency Support: The Farm Manager is on-site Monday to Friday, and available on weekends to support residents, including assisting with trips and visits, organizing meetings, and accessing the library in Lagos.
- Driver and Security: Residents have the G.A.S. Driver for airport transfers to and from the farm.There is limited transport options off the farm.
- Event Production Support: The G.A.S. team provide production support to help with the successful delivery of your planned contribution.
Online Information Session
Join us on January 6th, 2026, for an online information session on Zoom led by Y.S.F. CEO Belinda Holden and G.A.S. Executive Director Moni Aísida. They will walk you through the application guidelines, eligibility criteria, and everything you need to know about the award, including: The application process and eligibility requirements and Residency details, including programme expectations, dates, and the award package. Prospective applicants will also have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have during the session.
Key Dates
- - Applications Open: 15th December 2025
- - Online Information Session: 6th January 2026 at 2:00pm GMT / 3:00pm WAT
- - Applications Closes for A) Nigerian Emerging Artists: 18th January 2026 at 23:59 WAT
- - Applications Closes for other applications: 25th January 2026 at 23:59 WAT
- - Shortlisted applicants may be contacted: 2nd - 6th February, 2026
- - Announcement of Fellows: w/c 16th February 2026
