Tankwa Artscape Residency, founded in 2017, is a FREE yearly (April or May) artist residency for 10-12 national and international artists in the Tankwa Karoo, South Africa.

It is a two week residency for artists working in the fields of visual art, spoken word / sound, movement art, performance art. It is a unique experience in the desert for the most part using found materials or/and body and vocal performance, diving extremely deep into the creative sources. Only few artworks are permanent. Applications for permanent artworks go through an additional selection process. Much is ephemeral or performance based, and some of the work involves the gathering of experiences / ideas / possibilities that will translate into artworks at a later stage.

Tankwa Artscape specifically invite and support emerging artists/art students. They also connect South African artists with international artists and art organizations. For many participating artists Tankwa Artscape Residency was a turning point in their career.

The conceptual focus is on interacting creatively with the vast environment of the Tankwa Karoo and the history, ecology and culture of the place. Tankwa Artscape aims at providing a space for conscious confrontation of the artist with harsh, relatively unspoiled nature. Each artist then deals with this confrontation in an individual creative way, giving rise to artworks that render this confrontation visible, audible, touchable.

Documentation is through video, photography and audio podcasts. Tankwa Artscape provide a group of photographers / videographers to document artworks and artistic processes.

Apply HERE

tankwaartscape.co.za