About the Residency
The Swahili Futurism Residency is a two-week artists’ residency held within Zanzalu, a three-week pop-up city in Fumba Town, Zanzibar. Residents are sponsored to attend July 25 – August 8, 2026, with accommodation and breakfast covered. Travel sponsorship is available for select candidates.
This residency brings together East African artists and creatives to explore how Swahili culture, history, and imagination can shape future creative narratives. Participants develop new work while engaging deeply with place, community, and one another. The residency combines individual studio practice, shared creative sessions, cultural immersion across Zanzibar, and mentorship from artists and cultural practitioners.
Application Deadline: May 25, 2026
The Swahili Futurism Experience
Who Should Apply
The Swahili Futurism Residency is for artists and creatives interested in imagining future narratives shaped by Swahili culture and history.
We welcome applications from:
- Visual artists and designers
- Digital and new media artists
- Architects and spatial practitioners
- Filmmakers and photographers
- Researchers and storytellers
Artists from Zanzibar and across Africa are especially encouraged to apply.
Explore Other Residencies
Zanzalu residencies gather small cohorts around different disciplines and ways of building the future.
The Vanguard Residency is a two-week peer-learning program for builders, researchers, and policymakers focused on rigorous discussion, collaboration, and long-term impact.
