The Yinka Shonibare Foundation (Y.S.F.) and Guest Artists Space (G.A.S.) Foundation have been awarded a $220,000 grant from the Terra Foundation for American Art to support cultural exchange and archival preservation at their residency sites in Ijebu and Lagos, Nigeria. The two-year funding will facilitate artist residencies, ecological research, and archival initiatives, fostering cross-cultural dialogue between American and African artists and scholars.

At the G.A.S. Farm House in Ikise, the grant will fund CULTIVATION: Art, Environment & Materiality, a two-year residency program. This initiative will host ten American-based artists, with a focus on those from Indigenous, African, or multicultural backgrounds. Residents will explore intersections between art, ecology, and sustainable materials while engaging with local communities to promote knowledge exchange and environmental consciousness.

In Lagos, the grant will establish the African Arts Libraries Lab (AAL Lab) and Conference, dedicated to the preservation of African and Afro-diasporic archival collections. This initiative will bring together archivists, librarians, artists, and cultural institutions for workshops and collaborative sessions. The program will culminate in a two-day conference addressing preservation, restitution, and the inclusion of underrepresented African and Afro-diasporic materials in global narratives.

These projects align with the Terra Foundation’s mission to challenge traditional art historical perspectives and promote equitable cultural practices. By supporting interdisciplinary collaboration and fostering dialogue, the initiatives aim to expand global interpretations of American art through an African lens.

Established in 1978, the Terra Foundation for American Art supports initiatives that broaden the understanding of American art history. With offices in Chicago and Paris, the foundation advances intercultural engagement through grants and research-driven collaborations.