Open Call — English Version
Open Call · Grand-Bassam – Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
The value of making is here.
“La valeur du faire est ici” — Àsìkò Art School, 2027 edition
Grand-Bassam – Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
Programme 3–30 April 2027
Open call closes 27 September 2026
What can art tell us about how an economy works — and how it could work differently?
What happens when the tools for artistic inquiry are not imported frameworks, but the living traditions, skills and knowledge systems of the place itself?
ABOUT THE EDITION
Àsìkò Art School 2027 takes place in Grand Bassam and Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, under the theme La valeur du faire est ici. This edition invites artists, curators, writers and cultural practitioners from across Africa and the African Diaspora to explore the relationship between art, labour, craft, value, production and community — through a deeply situated engagement with the cultural and economic landscape of Côte d’Ivoire.
Grand Bassam, a UNESCO World Heritage town renowned for its artisanal traditions, exists alongside Abidjan, one of West Africa’s most vibrant centres of commerce, culture and innovation. Together, these locations offer a unique environment in which to examine how creative practices shape economies, sustain communities, and imagine alternative futures.
This edition proposes that art is not merely a response to economic conditions, but a way of actively investigating, questioning and reimagining them. At the heart of the programme is the recognition that the knowledge held by makers — the intelligence of materials, the ethics of production, the relationship between maker and community — is itself a vital curriculum.
“Participants will engage with making as a form of knowledge production, and consider how local craft traditions hold important lessons about sustainability, value creation, collective responsibility and cultural continuity.”
— Programme thesis
ABOUT THE EDITION
Cocoa, transformed elsewhere.
Côte d’Ivoire’s cocoa industry provides a powerful lens through which to consider these questions. As the world’s largest producer of cocoa, the country generates enormous value through cultivation — yet much of the transformation process has historically taken place elsewhere.
What changes when production, transformation and value creation happen locally? What might artists learn from this question, and how might it reshape artistic practice? Through encounters with artists, craftspeople, designers, entrepreneurs and economists, participants will investigate making as both an artistic and social act.
Global cocoa producer
Weeks in residence
Cities — Grand Bassam & Abidjan
Four strands, woven together
The 2027 edition is structured around four interconnected areas of inquiry — each a different material through which to examine the value of making. Hover or focus a strand to open it.
01
Craft
Engagement with traditional and contemporary craft practices — material knowledge, artisanal skill, environmental responsibility, and the relationship between making and community. A lens onto heritage, innovation and local economies.
02
Fashion & Textile
Fashion and textile production as a place-based creative economy. How design, production, training and entrepreneurship build sustainable ecosystems rooted in local knowledge while engaging global audiences.
03
Cocoa
A compelling case study in value creation and transformation — production, processing and ownership, as both material reality and metaphor for extraction, labour and sovereignty.
04
Art
The connective thread throughout the programme — how artistic practice responds to economic realities, generates new knowledge, and opens possibilities for imagining alternative futures.
Craft · Fashion & Textile · Cocoa · Art — four strips of the same cloth.
Structure
Àsìkò functions as a laboratory, workshop and residency combined — compulsory scheduled activities, five days a week. Rather than focusing solely on individual artworks, the programme prioritises process, dialogue, experimentation and collective learning, building towards a shared public outcome.
Knowledge moves in multiple directions. No single voice dominates.
FR+EN
French primary, English support
4 weeks
Lab · workshop · residency
5 days/wk
Compulsory activities
Workshop benefits
Access to experienced African & international artists, curators and researchers
Individual portfolio reviews and personal feedback sessions
Extended critique and discussion sessions
Development of writing and critical thinking skills
Engagement with local craft communities and practitioners
International networking, Pan-African exchange
Who can apply
Primarily targeted at artists, curators, writers and cultural practitioners from Africa and the African Diaspora. Priority is given to practitioners based on the continent. Applicants who have participated in Àsìkò more than once are not eligible.
Visual Arts
Photography
Film & Video
Installation
Sculpture
Painting
Ceramics
Textile & Fashion
Sound & Music
Social Practice
Writing & Publishing
Curating
Research
Artists must be professionally active for at least three years; curators and writers, at least two.
Available for the full programme in Côte d’Ivoire, plus all mandatory online sessions.
Comfortable working in French or English, and open to engaging across the two.
Selected applicants take part in a short interview process.
Accessibility needs can be indicated directly in the application form.
Key Dates
Programme
costs
Non-resident participants
$800
resident participants
$400
Fees contribute to the programme’s operations, a modest production budget, and the final project — due by 1 March 2027 to secure your place. Accommodation is provided for non-resident participants; lunch is provided on teaching days. Limited financial support may be available for selected participants — we encourage applicants to begin exploring funding from local and international bodies as early as possible, whether or not participation is yet confirmed.
Àsìkò Art School 2027 is proudly supported by the Teiger Foundation.
Ready to make the case for making?
Questions — asikoartschool@gmail.com · Instagram @asiko_artschool
FAQs
Can an early-career artist or curator apply?
Applications are open to all artists who have been professionally active for at least three years, and to curators and writers from across Africa with at least two years of experience.
Do I need an art degree to apply?
No. Applications are open to all art professionals, with or without formal art education.
Can a diaspora artist who has never lived in Africa apply?
Yes. Àsìkò is primarily targeted at artists and curators from Africa and the African Diaspora.
When do I pay the participation fee?
Selected participants pay $800 USD (non-local) or $400 USD (local), which contributes to operations, a modest production budget, and the final project. Fees must be paid by 1 March 2027 to secure your place.
Do fees include logistics?
No. Non-resident participants cover their own travel costs and living expenses during the programme. Accommodation is provided for non-resident participants, and lunch is provided on teaching days.
When should I apply for funding?
Apply for travel funding whether or not your participation has been confirmed yet, to avoid missing external deadlines.
Do I need to be in Côte d'Ivoire for the entire programme?
Yes — all participants must be available for the full programme in Côte d’Ivoire (3–30 April 2027), plus the mandatory virtual sessions before and after.
Do I need to list my references?
Yes. Please include the requested details for your references, as the team will contact them directly.