Taking place in Luanda, the NESR Art Foundation’s residency program is open to all emerging artists from Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea – Bissau, Mozambique, São Tomé e Príncipe and the selection is made by the foundation’s Artistic Committee following an open call for applications.
The residencies’ mission is to establish deeper engagement between artists and curators, and to create opportunities for practical and theoretical mentorship. It has a commitment to facilitating connections with the social and cultural scene in Angola, as well as maintaining strong conversations between the residents and international arts professionals.
The Residency program welcomes 6 artists per year, in 3 sessions of 10 weeks (each), with 2 artists at a time. Residents receive a fully furnished studio and living space, as well as a stipend and production grant.
Constituting a significant and unprecedented group of artworks showcasing the vitality and diversity of Angola, the collection aims at contextualizing these works within wider practices in Africa and its diaspora.
The Foundation facilitates the circulation of works across the world with an active loan program of its collection.
About
The Nesr Art Foundation is an independent art foundation founded in 2021 by Hiba and Wissam Nesr. It focuses on supporting Angolan artists, and artists from the continent, through a platform for dialogue and exchange within Africa and internationally. The foundation provides a space for artistic research, production, and critical discourse through its residencies, collection, and educational projects, centered around a creative hub located in Luanda, Angola.
Founders
Hiba and Wissam Nesr are philanthropists and founders of the Nesr Art Foundation; a foundation born out of their wish to support the dynamic creative community within Angola and promote it internationally. The Nesr family has been based in Africa for the last 40 years and operates the largest agri-industrial group in Angola. For the last ten years, Hiba and Wissam have focused their philanthropic efforts to promote quality education, zero hunger, clean water and sanitation in the country.
Project Manager
Edna Bettencourt
Artistic Committee
Azu Nwagbogu
Tandazani Dhlakama
Thiago de Paula Souza
Advisory Board
Diana Campbell
N’Goné Fall
Samy Ghiyati
Hala Khayat
Jozef Smets
Suzana Sousa
Mercedes Vilardell
Paula Nascimento
Source: The Nesr Art Foundation
