Apply for our upcoming international artists residency program and experience a unique cultural exchange in an inspiring village environment

We invite you to submit your applications for the 9th edition of the International Artist in Residence Program (KARP AiR 2026), which will take place from 3RD to 17TH OCTOBER 2026 in the Kamina Radio Rein Station and KARP land, Atakpamé, Togo. Cultural Revitalization 2 is the program’s theme. The Artist must arrive on the 1^st (Thursday) to 2^nd (Friday), then on the 3^rd we moved from Lome to Atakpeme. Note: The organization is taking care of the artist from 3^rd to 17^th.

This year’s program is open to international artists who will find themselves in a unique space for creative exploration and development in an artistic environment. Our residencies are process-oriented and encourage artists to experiment, focus on new themes, seek inspiration in their surroundings, and perhaps engage in creative dialogue with other artists, both international and local. The program is designed to be both supportive and inspiring, enabling you to develop lifelong friendships, professional relationships, and future collaborations.

Deadline for applications: June 20th, 2026

Announcement of selected artists: July 1st, 2026

Artistic residency: October 3rd – 17th, 2026

ABOUT THE RESIDENCY

This is the Ninth year that KARP organize international residency program, and it will be unique, because in addition to the experience of the residence in the ruins of Kamina, the residency program will involve the local audience.

The two-week stay of international artists is divided into two parts.

In the first week, visits will be organized in the region, such as meeting the chief and elders of Kamina, going to the Ministry of art, culture & tourism, and the arts center, during which the local authorities will present the ongoing cultural development of the region. The week will also be devoted to the implementation and realization of the artist’s own projects, which will finally be shown at the exhibition in the second week

The second week, during which the residency program will be realized. Participants of the residency will have the opportunity to get to know the local culture and creativity, while sharing their own experiences with other artists. Local artists invited to participate in the program will be encouraged to have direct contact with the audience, our international artists, by sharing their own experiences or short workshops. The program will climax with an exhibition and durbar on the last days.

The Artist Residency Program includes attractions such as:

• Art exhibitions
• Implementation of the artist’s own projects or work
• Conferences and workshops for local artists and children
• Performances by performing artists.
• Playwrights and storytellers.
• Engagement with local food chefs, fabrics, fashion designers, blacksmiths, weavers, and other craftsmen.

Additionally, the program offers professional development activities, including mentoring sessions, presentations, and peer-to-peer feedback sessions, organized site visits to local art spaces and other institutions, and opportunities to meet and connect with local artists and arts professionals.

LOCATION

Kamina, a small village where the nearest large settlement was Atakpamé (the fifth largest city in Togo by population, located on a hilly wooded savannah on the eastern end of the Atakora Mountain range in the Plateaux Region of Togo. It is an industrial center and lies on the main north-south highway, 161 km north of the capital Lomé. It is also a regional commercial center for produce and cloth) in Togo (West Africa), was mainly known for its Funkstation: a shortwave radio transmitter developed during the German occupation of 1911-14. Built by Telefunken, the wireless radio station was designed as a hub and switching point for other German colonial radio stations. Just after the start of World War I, Togoland was invaded by British and French forces from the neighboring Gold Coast (Ghana) and French Dahomey (Benin) colonies. The station was destroyed by its operators to prevent it from falling under British and French control. The Kamina ruins then became a forgotten place removed from the world’s attention.

The city of Kamina and its surroundings in the Atakpamé district have unique cultures, artifacts, music, food, and lifestyles.

WHAT IS PROVIDED BY THE PROGRAM

• Accommodation – a room per participant
• Meals (Two – morning and evening)
• Work Space
• Round-trip from Lome to Atakpame and vice versa.
• Social Media promotion
• Invitation letter (That can be used to seek sponsorship or a grant)
• Certificate of participation
• Local metal wedding shop
• Local clay for those who will need clay, but we don’t have an oven – clay works should be environmentally friendly.
• Wood for carvers or sculptures
• Materials like canvas and basic colours
• Screen for video projections

WHAT IS NOT PROVIDED BY THE PROGRAM

• Flight Tickets
• Visa Expenses, yet we send all supporting documents to get a visa

• Tools and specific materials used by the artist (PLEASE BRING ANY SMALL POWER TOOLS LIKE GRINDER, OR ANY SPECIFIC TOOLS)
• Daily Expenses – launch
• Health Insurance

NOTE: Don’t apply if you are not sure of your participation – the organizers do not accept any participation cancellations of the selected artist

There will also be a tourism trip for the international participants, where those who are interested will be made to pay 80$ for transportation and other expenses.

PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS

WHO CAN APPLY?

KARP AiR Program welcomes multi-disciplinary artists from around the world.

You are eligible for the KARP Artist in Residence 2026 Program if you meet the following criteria:

• You are a visual or performance artist (Curator, Painters, Sculptors, Sound Artists, Writers, Illustrators, New Media Artists, Photographers, Video Artists, Researchers, Creative Influencers, Architecture and Sculpture, Music and Dance, Land Art and Artistic Practices in Public Space, Social Innovation and Community Projects

• You are an individual artist or cultural practitioner.
• Your practice relates strongly to art and culture and is dedicated to addressing contextually relevant societal topics or issues.

The working language of the program is English and French.

HOW TO APPLY

The application deadline is June 20th, 2026, at 23:59 CEST. Application must be sent by completing the form and attachments. Then, the jury will select artists by a team of professional Juries.

Your answers in the application form and information in the supporting documents should be in English.

In the online application form, applicants are asked to provide:

• Personal Details
• Contact Information
• Biography in a narrative form (2,000 characters / approx. 300 words)
• CV as a PDF attachment (2-page limit, 1MB)
• Portfolio as a PDF attachment (10 works – 10MB)
• Profile picture (1000 x 1000 Px or 1MB)

All applicants will be informed by email about the result of their application by June 30th, 2026. The selected artists will be provided with invitation letters to seek travel sponsorship.

The decision of the Jury is final.

If you have any questions during the time that the Open Call online platform is open (between April 1st to July 1st, 2026), about the application or the program, please email karpkamina@gmail.com.