The LOATAD West Africa Road Residency | How to Apply
Apply to the LOATAD West Africa Road Residency 2026: A 3,000-Kilometre Creative Journey Across West Africa
In April 2026, the Library Of Africa and The African Diaspora (LOATAD)—in partnership with the Harambee Organisation of Black Unity (HOBU-UK)—will launch the LOATAD West Africa Road Residency, one of the most ambitious creative residencies on the continent: an 18-day overland journey from Accra to Banjul and back, spanning eight countries and more than 3,000 kilometres.
This residency is not a sightseeing road trip. It is a political, cultural, and artistic act—a purposeful journey through West Africa’s arteries, tracing the landscapes Malcolm X once travelled as he called for a global culture of Black unity. This historic residency sets the stage for the Convention of Afrikan People (CAP26), grounding its vision in lived experience, artistic response, and cross-border conversation.
Why This Residency Matters
Today, when Black creatives continue to confront shrinking platforms, censorship, and institutional gatekeeping, the West Africa Road Residency offers a rare structure: time, movement, deep listening, and community.
Residents will travel through Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, and The Gambia—documenting, creating, observing, and engaging with local communities and histories. They will respond to prompts, gather stories, and contribute to a Pan-African anthology and travelling exhibition after the journey concludes.
For writers looking to sharpen their craft or deepen their creative worldview, resources like these insights from six award-winning writers may help frame the type of reflection and commitment the residency demands.
Similarly, applicants preparing their materials can benefit from guides on how to write an effective short author bio and detailed statement of purpose examples—both essential for a strong submission.
Eligibility Requirements for the LOATAD West Africa Road Residency
The residency is open to:
- Writers
- Visual artists
- Musicians and sound artists
Applicants must:
- Be citizens and residents of an ECOWAS nation (including Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger)
- Be over 21 years old
- Have a valid West African passport
- Be available for the full 18-day period in April 2026
- Be physically and medically fit for long-distance travel
- Be committed to collective engagement and public sharing of work
Benefits of the LOATAD West Africa Road Residency
LOATAD and its partners will provide:
- Transportation throughout the 3,000 km journey
- One-way flight (either before the residency or after it ends in Banjul)
- Accommodation
- Border fees and travel insurance
- Daily stipend of $35 USD
- Pre-departure workshops and post-residency activities
- Inclusion in a Pan-African anthology and travelling exhibition
- Community, collaboration, and cross-border network building
What Residents Are Expected to Do
Residents must:
- Participate in all aspects of the residency (5–21 April 2026)
- Attend pre-departure and post-residency programming
- Produce original creative work based on residency prompts
- Engage in group critique, conversation, and collective reflection
- Consent to documentation (photography, video, audio)
- Contribute creative work to the anthology and exhibition
Output expectations include:
- Writers: 2,500–10,000 words
- Visual artists: a coherent body of work suitable for exhibition
- Musicians/Sound artists: compositions, soundscapes, or recordings
Application Materials
To apply, you will need:
- A short bio (max 250 words)
- A statement of interest (max 500 words) responding to the residency theme
- Writing samples or a portfolio
- Two references
Applicants can reflect on questions such as:
- How does your creative practice contribute to global Black liberation?
- What prepares you for the psychological demands of long overland travel?
- How do you observe and record unfamiliar landscapes?
- What role would you play in a collaborative creative environment?
APPLY HERE
➡️ Click to Apply for the LOATAD West Africa Road Residency 2026
