University of Johannesburg Artists in Residence Programme 2027, South Africa
The University of Johannesburg Artists in Residence Programme 2027 offers artists, creative researchers and arts practitioners an opportunity to spend 10 months developing an independent arts-practice-as-research project in South Africa.
The programme is open to emerging and established artists from around the world, with preference given to applicants who have a connection with Africa. Selected artists receive a monthly stipend of R12,000, subject to statutory deductions, for the 10-month residency period.
This is more than a traditional artist residency. The University of Johannesburg (UJ) expects residents to develop a project that combines creative practice with research and produces a recognised creative research output.
University of Johannesburg Artists in Residence Programme 2027 Overview
- Host Country: South Africa
- Host Institution: University of Johannesburg
- Programme: Artists in Residence Programme
- Residency Duration: 10 months
- Monthly Stipend: R12,000
- Total Stated Stipend: Approximately R120,000 before statutory deductions
- Eligible Nationalities: Artists worldwide
- Preference: Applicants with a connection to Africa
- Degree Level: Relevant post-school qualification; Master's and PhD holders preferred
- Fields: Fine Arts, Visual Arts, Literary Arts, Music Composition, Film and Television, Theatre, Performance and Dance, Design
- Research Focus: Arts-practice-as-research
- Work Arrangement: Projects can largely be conducted remotely
- Project Funding: No additional project or seed funding automatically provided
- Application: Online
What Is the UJ Artists in Residence Programme?
The University of Johannesburg Artists in Residence Programme is designed for artists and creative practitioners who want to develop research through artistic practice.
The programme does not simply provide artists with time and space to produce creative work. Applicants must propose a project that addresses a research question or problem and demonstrates how artistic practice will contribute to new knowledge.
Projects may involve creating an exhibition, film, performance, literary work, musical composition, design project or another creative output, but the proposal must clearly establish its research dimension.
Degree Level
Applicants must hold a relevant post-school qualification.
While a Master's or PhD is not an absolute requirement, preference is given to applicants who hold:
Master's degrees
PhD degrees
Other relevant post-school qualifications
Applicants should demonstrate that their educational background and professional experience are appropriate for their proposed arts-practice research project.
Available Subjects
The residency covers a broad range of creative fields.
Eligible disciplines include:
Fine Arts
Visual Arts
Literary Arts
Music Composition
Film and Television
Theatre
Performance
Dance
Design
Applicants should ensure that their proposed project fits within one of these creative areas and can be developed as a meaningful research project.
Benefits
R12,000 Monthly Stipend
Successful residents receive a R12,000 monthly stipend, subject to statutory deductions.
The stipend is provided for 10 months, resulting in a stated total of approximately:
R12,000 × 10 months = R120,000
This amount is before applicable statutory deductions.
10-Month Residency
Selected artists receive support for a 10-month residency period, giving them substantial time to develop and complete their proposed creative research project.
International Research Environment
The programme provides an opportunity to engage with an established South African university and its academic and creative community.
Opportunity for Creative Research
Residents can use the programme to develop an arts-practice-as-research project that contributes new knowledge to their creative discipline.
Workshops and Presentations
Residents may participate in workshops, presentations and other activities organized through their host department.
They may also be asked to conduct:
Workshops
Lectures
Presentations
Other academic or creative activities
Is Additional Project Funding Available?
Applicants should pay particular attention to this point.
The R12,000 monthly stipend is not the same as a separate project budget. The programme does not automatically provide additional project or seed funding.
Therefore, applicants should clearly explain:
Which resources are already available
Which resources are required
What human resources are needed
What physical resources are needed
What financial resources are required
How the project will be completed within the available resources
A realistic and well-planned proposal can therefore be particularly important.
What Kind of Project Does UJ Want?
The programme is looking for projects that treat artistic practice as a form of research.
A strong proposal should explain:
What you intend to create
The research question or problem
Your artistic research methodology
How the project will generate new knowledge
The expected creative outcome
The project's milestones
The timeline
Required resources
The contribution to your artistic discipline
Simply proposing to create an artwork, film, book or performance may not be enough. The project should demonstrate creative originality, research quality and meaningful contribution to the relevant field.
Eligible Nationalities
The programme is open to artists and creative researchers worldwide.
International applicants are therefore eligible to apply. However, the University of Johannesburg gives preference to candidates who have a connection with Africa.
This preference does not necessarily mean that applicants must be African citizens. Candidates should demonstrate any relevant connection where applicable through their background, research interests, collaborations, artistic practice or proposed project.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants should generally meet the following requirements:
Be an emerging or established artist, creative researcher or arts practitioner.
Hold a relevant post-school qualification.
Have a proposed project in one of the eligible creative disciplines.
Demonstrate the ability to develop an arts-practice-as-research project.
Be capable of carrying out most of the project remotely.
Be willing to participate in relevant University of Johannesburg activities.
Demonstrate a suitable career record and creative productivity.
Show academic writing ability or potential.
Be able to produce a recognised creative research output.
Not be affiliated with another South African tertiary institution in a role such as lecturer or research associate.
Applicants with Master's or PhD degrees may receive preference.
Can You Complete the Residency Remotely?
The programme is structured to allow projects to be undertaken largely remotely.
This means selected artists do not necessarily have to remain physically at the University of Johannesburg throughout the 10-month period.
However, residents may be expected to participate in occasional university-based activities, workshops, presentations or other events through their host department.
Applicants should therefore be prepared for some interaction with the university when required by the programme.
Responsibilities of Selected Artists
The residency comes with several academic and creative responsibilities.
Selected residents must produce at least one creative output submission that meets the relevant requirements of South Africa's Department of Higher Education.
Residents must also:
Submit a 300-word progress update each month.
Participate in selected workshops or presentations.
Engage with their host department.
Potentially deliver workshops or lectures.
Complete their proposed creative research project.
Submit the required final creative research output.
The university may request revisions to the final creative research submission even after the formal residency period has ended.
Application Procedure
Application Documents
Applicants need to prepare an online application and provide important supporting information.
The application generally includes:
CV
Arts-practice research proposal
Detailed project activity plan
Information about available resources
Information about required resources
The research proposal is particularly important because applicants are assessed competitively.
The selection process considers factors such as:
Career record
Creative productivity
Academic writing ability or potential
Quality of the proposed project
Suitability of the residency proposal
How to Apply
Applicants should complete the online University of Johannesburg Artists in Residence application and submit all required supporting materials.
Before applying, candidates should:
Select an eligible creative discipline.
Develop a clear arts-practice-as-research project.
Define the research question or problem.
Explain the artistic methodology.
Create a realistic project timeline.
Identify available and required resources.
Prepare a strong CV.
Explain the expected creative research output.
Review the eligibility requirements carefully.
Submit the application through the official online system.
Applicants should avoid leaving the proposal until the final days because the research component requires careful planning.
Final Thoughts
The University of Johannesburg Artists in Residence Programme 2027 provides an interesting opportunity for artists who want to combine creative practice with academic research. The R12,000 monthly stipend for 10 months can provide financial support while the artist develops a substantial creative research project.
The programme is particularly suitable for artists working in visual arts, literature, music composition, film, television, theatre, performance, dance and design who can demonstrate a clear research question and meaningful creative outcome.
Applicants should remember that this is not simply a funded studio residency. The strongest applications will clearly connect artistic practice, research methodology, originality, knowledge creation and a defined final output.
