WHERE DISPLACEMENT MEETS RECLAMATION.

Founded in Kampala, Uganda, in 2024 by Congolese visual artist MAKANO, the MAKANO Art Space Residency Program operates as a frantic, vital sanctuary and an independent cultural incubator. True to our name—derived from the Kilega word meaning intersection or bridge—our residency functions as a borderless zone where artists navigating the psychological weight of trauma, displacement, and political adversity can converge to rewrite their narratives.

We explicitly prioritize and champion early-career, marginalized, and refugee contemporary artists from the great lakes region, with a deep focus on empowering young creatives in their 20s. The residency is not merely a studio space; it is an intense, active archive of human resilience.

Program Structure & Offerings

Our fully supported residency, providing selected artists with the essential tools to scale their practices and confront the contemporary art market on their own terms:

Dedicated Studio Space: A physical sanctuary in Kampala designed for uninterrupted, raw creative output.

Material Sponsorship: Access to heavy, high-grade resources including raw canvases, acrylics, sand, textiles, and found objects to encourage intense material exploration.

Intergenerational Mentorship: Direct, hands-on critical guidance and portfolio development under founder MAKANO, bridging historical grief with technical excellence.

Market & Curatorial Bridges: Direct pathways to continental exposure. The residency actively transitions artists from the margins to major regional platforms, group exhibitions, and international art fairs.

Our Philosophy

At MAKANO Art Space, we refuse traditional constraints. We believe the canvas is not a decorative plane, but a battleground for survival and socio-political resistance. By embedding organic elements, text, and raw memory into their work, our residents challenge passive global headlines, ensuring that the voices of the uprooted remain loud, visceral, and completely unforgettable.