THEFOURTH Artist Residency

THEFOURTH Artist Residency Programme – Cape Town, South Africa

Four-Week Creative Immersion in Green Point with Gallery Exhibition Opportunities

Overview

THEFOURTH Artist Residency Programme provides emerging and mid-career artists with a fully supported month-long creative retreat in Cape Town’s cosmopolitan Green Point neighborhood. Committed to fostering global artistic exchange and supporting practitioners from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, this program offers a stress-free live-work environment designed to deepen artistic practice through cultural immersion and professional networking. The residency culminates in exhibition opportunities at THEFOURTH’s innovative gallery space or partner venue SPACEBY, providing residents with valuable exposure to Cape Town’s dynamic art market.

Program Philosophy & Mission

THEFOURTH champions accessible contemporary art experiences by breaking down traditional gallery barriers and creating inclusive platforms for artistic dialogue. The residency program reflects this ethos by:

• Supporting diverse practitioners regardless of economic background
• Facilitating cross-pollination between local and international artists
• Providing stress-free conditions that remove financial and logistical obstacles
• Encouraging experimentation and risk-taking in a supportive environment
• Connecting emerging talent with established art professionals
• Contributing meaningfully to the global artistic community

This four-week intensive allows artists to focus entirely on creative development while experiencing Cape Town’s rich cultural landscape.

The Residency Space

Address: 5 York Flats, 16 Leinster Road, Green Point, Cape Town 8051

Living Environment: Spacious 110-square-meter fully furnished apartment featuring:

• Two separate rooms providing flexible space for living and creating
• Complete kitchen with modern appliances including dishwasher
• Full bathroom with contemporary fixtures
• Enclosed sleeping area ensuring restful privacy
• Dedicated lounge space for relaxation and informal meetings
• 20-square-meter studio area for focused art production
• Private patio and backyard with outdoor furniture for al fresco working
• Ample storage for materials and completed works

Technical Amenities:

• Smart TV for research and entertainment
• Quality sound system
• Unlimited high-speed WiFi connectivity
• Fully equipped kitchen supporting self-catering lifestyle

The apartment’s thoughtful design balances productive workspace with comfortable living areas, creating an environment conducive to both intensive creative work and necessary downtime.

Location Advantages

Green Point positions residents strategically within Cape Town’s cultural ecosystem:

• Easy access to Cape Town CBD and art district
• Walking distance to Sea Point Promenade and Atlantic coastline
• Proximity to V&A Waterfront’s galleries and museums
• Well-connected to public transportation networks
• Safe, residential neighborhood with cafes, restaurants, and amenities
• Vibrant local community supporting work-life balance

This location offers the perfect combination of urban accessibility and neighborhood tranquility.

THEFOURTH Gallery & Platform

The residency operates in connection with THEFOURTH’s innovative exhibition space, housed on the fourth floor of the historic Exchange Building in St. George’s Mall. This unique mixed-use platform combines:

• Contemporary art gallery showcasing cutting-edge practices
• Design showroom featuring curated objects and furniture
• Concept store supporting artist-made goods
• Private bar fostering community and conversation

This interdisciplinary environment encourages collaboration across creative disciplines, connecting visual artists with designers, architects, writers, and cultural innovators. THEFOURTH’s hybrid commercial-cultural model creates new contexts for experiencing and acquiring contemporary art.

Exhibition Opportunities

A defining feature of this Cape Town emerging artist residency is the pathway to professional exhibition:

THEFOURTH Gallery: Solo or group exhibitions in the gallery’s sophisticated fourth-floor space, engaging Cape Town’s collector community and art professionals.

SPACEBY: Alternative exhibition venue providing additional curatorial possibilities and audience reach.

Curatorial Support: Professional guidance in selecting, presenting, and contextualizing residency-produced work for public display.

These exhibition opportunities transform the residency from private creative time into tangible career advancement through market exposure and professional validation.

Disciplines & Artist Focus

THEFOURTH welcomes artists working across contemporary media including:

• Painting (oil, acrylic, mixed media)
• Drawing and works on paper
• Photography and lens-based practices
• Installation and site-specific work
• Sculpture and three-dimensional objects
• Collage and assemblage
• Soft sculpture and textile arts
• Video and time-based media
• Multidisciplinary and hybrid practices

The program particularly values practitioners exploring personal identity, urban environments, mental health, cultural memory, and experimental visual languages.

Program Structure & Duration

Residency Length: Fixed four-week intensive program providing sufficient time for meaningful creative development without extended career interruption.

Approach: Self-directed with curatorial support—residents maintain autonomy over their practice while benefiting from professional guidance and introductions to Cape Town’s art scene.

Community Engagement: Opportunities to connect with local artists, attend gallery openings, visit studios, and participate in Cape Town’s vibrant contemporary art discourse.

Past Residents & Achievements

THEFOURTH has hosted internationally acclaimed artists including:

Alexander James (b. 1993, London): Multimedia practitioner working across painting, installation, collage, and soft sculpture. Camberwell College of Arts graduate whose explosive career includes solo exhibitions in London, Paris, Berlin, and New York. His residency exhibition “Keep It In The Family” explored urban subcultures and personal identity through nostalgic family imagery.

Kagiso Reuben (b. 1999, Vereeniging): Self-taught painter developing a distinctive visual language inspired by automatism and mental health exploration. His simplified, non-prescriptive compositions evoke nostalgia and playfulness, drawing on influences from Simon Stone, Jackson Pollock, and Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Lea Colombo: Photographer known for intimate imagery and masterful color exploration, with established presence in fashion industry through her unique and evolving style.

Yolanda Mazwana (Johannesburg): Self-taught visual artist specializing in painting, whose work centers on mental illness, popular culture, phobias, and storytelling through an amalgamation of abstract expressionism, neo-expressionism, and symbolism.

Application & Selection

Application Process: Open rolling applications welcoming self-nominations and professional recommendations

Selection Criteria:

• Artistic merit and distinctive voice
• Commitment to developing practice during residency
• Openness to cultural exchange and community engagement
• Diverse socio-economic backgrounds encouraged
• All career stages considered

Cost: Contact THEFOURTH for current program fees and available support

Why Choose THEFOURTH Residency?

This accessible Cape Town artist program offers:

• Affordable four-week format balancing depth with practical career considerations
• Fully furnished accommodation eliminating setup stress
• Prime Green Point location combining safety, convenience, and inspiration
• Professional exhibition pathway providing market exposure
• Gallery connection linking residents to collectors and institutions
• Inclusive mission supporting artists from all backgrounds
• Interdisciplinary platform fostering collaboration across creative fields
• Supportive environment prioritizing artist wellbeing and experimentation

Experience Cape Town’s cultural richness while advancing your artistic practice in a program designed for accessibility, professionalism, and creative growth.

Ready to apply? Contact THEFOURTH to discuss upcoming residency opportunities and join the community of artists shaping contemporary visual culture from Cape Town’s creative heart.