The Art Residency Centre (ARC)
The Art Residency Centre (ARC) in Gaborone, Botswana offers 1-3 month residencies supporting contemporary artists across visual arts, performing arts, music, video, film, and written/spoken word. Located in The Village district at the historic Gaborone Club, ARC provides dedicated studio space (The ARChive) where residents develop creative practice while engaging with Botswana’s social and cultural history. This community-centered residency emphasizes archiving contemporary presence through material culture, ephemera, and oral/written histories spanning pre-colonial to recent times.
ARC residents receive studio access Monday-Friday (8am-10pm) with minimum 3 days/week commitment, P1,000 stipend (approximately $75 USD) for materials and expenses, access to reference library and archiving resources, and integration into Gaborone’s creative community through monthly Cine Club screenings, Reading Group meetings, and curated events at partner venues including Alliance Française, Sanitas @linnaeus, Perfect Noise, Thapong, and Legabibo. The ARChive studio opens to public every Saturday 12-2pm, creating dialogue between residents and community.
What distinguishes ARC is commitment to documentation and archiving—residents maintain organized records of creative process (writing, video, annotated sketches, photographs), provide copy of final work for archive, and complete written residency review (1-3 pages). This emphasis on preserving contemporary artistic practice within Botswana’s evolving cultural landscape makes ARC ideal for artists interested in historical context, community engagement, and long-term cultural contribution beyond individual creative output.
The residency explicitly encourages integration with Gaborone Club’s social/cultural history and Village community, fostering work that responds to local context while supporting civil society development through contemporary arts. Governed by volunteer Executive and Board teams, ARC operates as true community partnership benefiting resident artists, local creatives, and wider Gaborone community through accessible programming, networking opportunities, and diverse platforms for creative dialogue and exhibition.
Duration:
- Minimum: 1 month (30 days)
- Maximum: 3 months (90 days)
Disciplines Accepted:
- Visual Arts
- Performing Arts
- Music
- Video/Film
- Writing (written and spoken word)
- Interdisciplinary
Studio Access:
- Monday-Friday: 8:00am – 10:00pm
- Minimum commitment: 3 days/week, 3 hours/day
- Private dedicated studio space
Stipend:
- P1,000 Botswana Pula (approximately $75 USD)
- One-time payment
- For materials, transport, sustenance
Cost to Artist:
- Free (no fees)
- Stipend provided
Accommodation:
- Not included (artist arranges own)
Facilities:
- Dedicated studio/office space (The ARChive)
- Reference library
- Archiving resources
- Access to Gaborone Club facilities
REQUIREMENTS & OBLIGATIONS
During Residency:
- Minimum 3 working days/week, 3 hours/day studio use
- Maintain clean, orderly studio space
- Lock doors/windows when absent (security responsibility)
- Integrate Gaborone Club/Village community history into creative process
- Keep organized documentation of art-making process
Upon Completion:
- Provide copy of final work for archive (format: writing, video, photos, sketches)
- Submit written residency review (1-3 typed pages)
- Leave studio in clean condition
- Return studio key and access chip
Documentation Formats:
- Writing
- Video
- Annotated sketches
- Photographs
COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING
Public Access:
- Open Studio: Every Saturday, 12noon-2pm at The ARChive
Regular Events:
- ARC Cine Club: Monthly film screenings (local & international)
- ARC Reading Group: Monthly meetings
Partner Venues:
- The Gaborone Club
- Sanitas @linnaeus
- Alliance Française
- Perfect Noise
- Thapong
- Legabibo
Networking:
- Local creative community connections
- International networking opportunities
- Exhibition platforms
- Event hosting support
ACCOMMODATION NOTE
Important: ARC does NOT provide accommodation.
Artists must arrange:
- Own housing in Gaborone
- Transport to/from studio
- Meals and daily sustenance
Stipend (P1,000) can help with:
- Accommodation deposits
- Transport costs
- Food/sustenance
- Art materials
Gaborone Context:
- Botswana’s capital city
- Well-developed infrastructure
- Accommodation available (guesthouses, Airbnb, rentals)
- English widely spoken
- Relatively safe African capital