Independent Curators International (ICI) Mentorship Program for East African Curators 2024

ICI, in partnership with Njabala Foundation and AWARE: Archives of Women Artists, Research and Exhibitions, is offering a 6-month mentorship program for emerging female-identifying curators based in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, themed “Curating as multiplying mediation and access to culture.” 

The mentorship aims to support emerging arts workers by creating a platform to develop their practice, gain resources, enhance research and discourse, and engage with established curators from East Africa and beyond. Offering opportunities to develop tools and actions to raise awareness about gender issues in the East African context, the program will support a new generation of cultural workers sensitive to the place of women artists and augment the agency of female-identifying artists, curators, and educators in the region and globally.

Over the course of the program, each participant will meet with their mentor monthly between January and June 2025 to workshop a proposal for an exhibition or similar project and to receive individual feedback on their curatorial practice. Mentorship sessions will take place virtually, though participants will be invited to Kampala, Uganda for a midpoint, in-person group meeting to connect with the other participants and mentors. 

• Table of Content
• About Independent Curators International (ICI)
• Mentorship Program
• Requirements for Mentorship Program Qualification
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

About Independent Curators International (ICI)

Independent Curators International supports the work of curators to help create stronger art communities through experimentation, collaboration, and international engagement.

Mentorship Program

Application Deadline	15 Aug 2024
Country to study	Uganda
Type	Fellowship
Sponsor	Independent Curators International (ICI)
Gender	Women

Requirements for Mentorship Program Qualification

This opportunity is available to female-identifying cultural workers based in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Applicants should have 3+ years of experience curating, working in the arts, or working with artists.

Mentorship sessions will take place virtually. Participants will be invited for one in-person group meeting in Kampala, Uganda during the program (date TBD).

Application Deadline

August 15, 2024

How to Apply

Interested and qualified? Go to Independent Curators International (ICI) on ici.awardsplatform.com to apply

All applications should be submitted through ICI's application portal by August 15, 2024, 11:59pm EAT. Application materials include:

• Description of project you would like to develop during the mentorship period, including the next three steps you’d like to take to move the project forward. Projects should in some way engage with female-identifying artists, creative producers, or publics (400 words max)
• Letter of intent describing why you would like to take part in this program, including specific mentorship needs to support your project (300 words max)
• Bio outlining relevant experience (250 words max)
• Work sample/portfolio (uploaded as an attachment)
• CV (uploaded as an attachment)

For more details, visit ICI website.