2027 Sankofa Cohort 1 - Denver CO

Организатор

Sankofa Art Residency

2027 Sankofa Cohort 1- DENVER CO Deadline: 07 Nov 2026 Country: United States The Sankofa Art Residency is a 6‑week hybrid creative incubator designed for artists seeking renewal, cultural grounding, and transformative community. Rooted in the West African principle of Sankofa (the practice of returning to the past to reclaim what was forgotten) the residency invites artists to explore personal and ancestral narratives while developing new work within a supportive global cohort. Program Experience Over the first five weeks, artists participate in a rich virtual curriculum that blends reflection, experimentation, and embodied creative practice. Each cohort engages in: Virtual Workshops led by multidisciplinary facilitators Cohort Circles focused on grounding, storytelling, and collective care Artist Talks with global creators Studio Prompts that encourage exploration across mediums The residency culminates in an in‑person overnight graduation ceremony February 13-14,2027 in Denver, Colorada, USA, where artists gather to honor their growth, share work, and participate in communal ritual. Program Cost Full Residency Tuition: $1,000 Payment is due within 48 hours of receiving your acceptance email. Your space is not guaranteed until payment—or the first installment of a payment plan—is received. Payment plans are available at adjusted rates for applicants who prefer to pay in installments. Refund Policy All fees and installments are 100% nonrefundable. This includes withdrawal, schedule conflicts, emergencies, travel issues, or inability to attend the in‑person graduation ceremony. Duration of residency online duration: 5 weeks in person duration: Feb 13-14 in Denver, CO Accommodation The Sankofa Residency culminates in an overnight, in‑person graduation ceremony held at a private location in Denver, Colorado (USA) exclusively for the cohort. While the 5‑week virtual portion is completed from each artist’s home studio, the final in‑person gathering provides a restorative, communal environment designed for reflection, celebration, and creative closure. Artists stay in shared accommodations arranged by the residency for the duration of the overnight ceremony. The space is intentionally intimate to support connection, ritual, and cohort bonding. All participants receive: Round‑trip transportation from Denver International Airport to the accommodations Shared lodging for the overnight ceremony Communal meals prepared for the cohort Ceremonial gifts honoring each artist’s creative journey Access to all closing rituals, workshops, and celebration activities The accommodation and ceremony space are reserved exclusively for Sankofa participants, ensuring privacy, safety, and a deeply immersive experience. The environment is designed to feel like a creative retreat, offering artists a moment of grounding and collective transformation before returning to their individual practices. Disciplines, work equipment and assistance OPEN TO ALL DISCPLININESStudio / Workspace The Sankofa Residency is structured as a hybrid creative incubator that allows artists to work from the comfort and intimacy of their own personal studios while remaining deeply connected to a structured, global cohort. Throughout the five‑week virtual phase, artists create from their home workspaces as they develop new projects, respond to weekly prompts, and engage in guided creative practices that support both experimentation and reflection. This model honors the rhythms of each artist’s personal environment while still offering the accountability, mentorship, and communal energy of a shared residency experience. All virtual programming takes place on Microsoft Teams, which serves as the residency’s central creative hub. Within this digital studio, artists participate in weekly live sessions—including workshops, critiques, artist circles, guest talks, and creative business development—while also accessing shared workspaces for posting works‑in‑progress, exchanging feedback, and collaborating across time zones through both synchronous and asynchronous engagement. The sixth week brings the cohort together in Denver for an in‑person overnight graduation ceremony held in a private, retreat‑style space reserved exclusively for residents. Although not a traditional studio, this environment functions as a communal creative container where artists engage in reflective practices, ritual‑based creative exercises, group sharing, ceremony preparation, and documentation of their works‑in‑progress. Designed to be intimate and restorative, the in‑person gathering supports closure, integration, and celebration of the work cultivated during the virtual phase, offering a meaningful transition from individual creation to collective witnessing.Fees and support The Sankofa Art Residency is committed to remaining accessible and transparent in its financial structure. There is no application fee, and artists may apply from anywhere in the world at no cost. Accepted artists pay a flat residency fee of $1,000, which covers the full 6‑week hybrid program, including all virtual workshops, artist circles, professional development sessions, and access to the Microsoft Teams creative hub. The fee also includes the in‑person overnight graduation ceremony in Atlanta, Georgia, along with round‑trip transportation between Hartsfield‑Jackson Atlanta International Airport and the accommodations, communal meals, and ceremonial gifts prepared for each participant. Sankofa provides all required creative materials for the residency, ensuring that artists can fully engage with the thematic explorations and ritual‑based practices without needing to purchase additional supplies. While the residency does not currently offer internal scholarships, we provide letters of support, guidance on external micro‑grants, and flexible payment options to help artists secure outside funding if needed. The program is intentionally designed to be high‑impact and low‑barrier, supporting artists from diverse backgrounds in accessing a transformative creative experience. Expectations towards the artist The Sankofa Art Residency invites artists into a supportive, exploratory, and low‑pressure creative environment rooted in the values of play, experimentation, and intuitive creation. Artists are encouraged to attend the weekly virtual sessions on Microsoft Teams, participate in cohort discussions and reflective practices, and engage with creative prompts that inspire curiosity and risk‑taking. Throughout the program, artists are invited to share works‑in‑progress in a spirit of openness and exploration, maintaining a generous and collaborative mindset as they experiment with new materials, ideas, or processes. There is no requirement to complete a finished artwork during the residency; participants may develop new work or continue ongoing projects at their own pace. All artists are also invited to contribute one work or work‑in‑progress created during the residency to a dedicated exhibition in the Sankofa Virtual Gallery. This exhibition serves as a living archive of the cohort’s creative journey, a global showcase of the residency’s impact, and a portfolio‑building opportunity for participating artists. While participation in the virtual exhibition is strongly encouraged, artists have full freedom in choosing the form, medium, and level of completion of the work they submit, with an emphasis on authenticity and creative evolution rather than perfection. Public engagement is optional within the residency. Artists may choose to participate in an optional virtual artist talk, share works‑in‑progress during cohort sessions, or offer a creative reflection during the closing ceremony. These opportunities are intentionally gentle and non‑performative, allowing artists to share only what feels aligned with their process. Artists are expected to attend the in‑person overnight graduation ceremony in Denver, Colorado, which includes a private cohort circle, communal meals, and a closing celebration honoring each artist’s journey. This gathering is considered a core component of the residency experience and serves as the ceremonial culmination of the six‑week program. Application information Artists can apply to the Sankofa Art Residency through our online application form: Application Link: https://forms.gle/3VHwvmKrL1Ar9zs58 Follow for updates: Residency Instagram: @WLF.SAR Nonprofit Instagram: @WLF.LTD

Награда

проживание, питание, транспорт из аэропорта, творческие материалы, участие в виртуальной галерее

Взнос

Без взноса

Условия участия

Страны-участники: Без ограничений по стране

Открыто для художников всех дисциплин; принимают заявки со всего мира