The prestigious Black Rock Global Arts Foundation, founded by renowned artist Kehinde Wiley, extended a special invitation to WorldFaze, a Ghanaian artist-run residency space, to participate in a symposium in Marrakech.
The purpose of the symposium was to facilitate discussions surrounding the increasing presence of artist residencies in Africa and their sustainability within the cultural sector.
Led by founder Kwesi Botchway, the WorldFaze team took an active part in the symposium, which was organized in collaboration with the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair. The event served as a platform for leaders from various artist residencies, foundations, public museums, and artist-led initiatives to come together and exchange insights.
Key highlights of the symposium included engaging the public in dialogue, strategies for opening artists’ spaces outward, fostering public engagement, discussing the intersection of the art market and the role of artist residencies, exploring the dynamics of establishing long-term sustainability for artist-run initiatives in Africa, and a workshop offering practical insights into best practices for artist residencies and artist-run foundations.
In addition to WorldFaze, other Ghanaian artist-run organizations such as dot.ateliers, Savannah Centre for Contemporary Art (SCCA, Tamale), and BlaxTARrLines, Kumasi also participated in the symposium.
Kwesi Botchway’s vision for WorldFaze is to provide support for emerging artists by offering resources, guidance, and dedicated studio spaces for experimentation and development. The invitation to the Marrakech symposium was a significant step towards fostering collaboration and sustainability within the vibrant African art community.
