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About Us

Guest Artists Space Foundation (Nigeria) and Yinka Shonibare Foundation (UK) were established in 2019 by the eminent British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare CBE RA. Guest Artists Space (G.A.S.) Foundation is a non-profit that delivers residencies and public programmes across two sites; one in the heart of the dynamic city of Lagos and the second on a rural working farm in Ijebu in Ogun State.

Yinka Shonibare Foundation (Y.S.F.) is a UK-registered charity (charity no: 1183321) dedicated to facilitating international cultural exchange and supporting creative practices through residencies, collaborations, and education projects. G.A.S. and Y.S.F. maintain a close partnership, working seamlessly together by combining resources and aligning efforts to achieve a shared mission and purpose. Governance, funding, partnership development, strategic programming, evaluation, and oversight are directed by Y.S.F.

Both organisations are governed by boards of trustees chaired by Yinka Shonibare CBE RA.

G.A.S. Foundation enjoys a steady flow of diverse and multidisciplinary research residents, ranging from emerging to celebrated artists, architects, designers, performers, curators and renowned researchers amongst others.

Both Foundations have partnered with universities, galleries, institutions, corporations and cultural organisations to deliver its programmes such as the Royal College of Art London, South London Gallery, Goodman Gallery, Stockholm School of Economics, Tiwani Contemporary, Afreximbank, Access Bank, Deutsche Bank, British Council, the German Federal Cultural Foundation, Pro Helvetia and ART X.

Explore our Programmes

Mission and Vision

Yinka’s vision behind the two organisations is to support the development of new work and ideas, foster mutual understanding of cultural differences and break down traditional barriers of privilege and wealth.

This is achieved by building access and creating new pathways to education, forging new networks and developing a resilient cultural infrastructure that will enable the next generation to thrive, not just survive. The vision is implemented primarily through hosting and supporting residencies and professional development programmes in both the UK and Nigeria.

Guiding Objectives

Promote mutual understanding of cultural differences to foster growing respect, knowledge and debate.
Support global partnerships between artists, designers, curators, collectors, architects, agriculturists and ecologists.
Create a platform for creative development and knowledge exchange between established and emerging practitioners.
Foster the development of careers, both locally and globally.
Break down traditional barriers of privilege, wealth, lack of infrastructure and limited opportunities.
Create learning opportunities for participants and local communities in Lagos and Ijebu.

Our Buildings and Facilities

G.A.S. Foundation’s multi-use live/work spaces host artists, researchers, cultural workers, and curators from all over the world awarding residencies for up to three months. In Lagos, the Foundation is hosted in an award-winning building designed by Elsie Owusu in collaboration with Nihinlola Shonibare. The secondary location designed by Papa Omotayo sits on a 54-acre working farm owned by Shonibare located on the outskirts of Ikiṣẹ, a village neighbouring Ijebu-Ode. The working farm produces crops ranging from yams and cassava to peppers and cashews.

In 2022, G.A.S. began populating its library and archive after receiving a donation from Professor John Picton and Sue Picton of a lifelong personal library collection, consisting of around 1500 volumes. Collected over several decades, the books and periodicals are an invaluable resource for scholars, artists, and researchers interested in the rich and diverse cultural heritage of Africa. The donated books cover topics including Sub-Saharan African art, history, and archaeology, as well as African American and Black British arts.

G.A.S. Lagos

G.A.S. Lagos is a vibrant cultural hub located in Oniru, Lagos. It hosts multidisciplinary residencies for artists, researchers, archivists, and curators at all stages of their careers. The building includes a versatile event/studio space, three residency bedrooms, the G.A.S. Library and Picton Archive, and a communal courtyard.

G.A.S. Farm House

Nestled on the outskirts of Ikiṣẹ, near Ijebu Ode, the G.A.S. Farm House offers a tranquil residency dedicated to interdisciplinary exploration of craft, design, art, and sustainability. Set on the 54-acre Ecology Green Farm, it features two residency bedrooms, a 'dry' internal studio, and an external 'wet' studio for hands-on creative work.

G.A.S. Library and Picton Archive

In 2022, G.A.S. Lagos began building its library archive with a donation of 1,500 books from Professor John Picton and Sue Picton. The collection spans Sub-Saharan African art, history, archaeology, African American, and Black British arts, providing a valuable resource for scholars, artists, and researchers exploring Africa's cultural heritage.

Accessibility Policy

Guest Artists Space Foundation (G.A.S.) is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all guests and residents, including those with disabilities. Our accessibility policy outlines the measures we have taken to ensure that our facilities and services are accessible to as many individuals as possible and provides a range of information for members of the public and our residents who will be visiting either of the G.A.S. Foundation buildings in Nigeria.

We welcome feedback on the accessibility information provided here, as well as personal experiences with the accessibility of our residencies and public programmes. Visitor insights are invaluable in helping us enhance our efforts. We encourage suggestions which can be shared by emailing Moni Aisida, our Executive Director, at moni@guestartistsspace.com.

Our Accessibility Policy

Contact Us

Both G.A.S. buildings are currently only open to the public during programmed events and activations. To learn about upcoming events, please visit the Events page on our website. Where possible, we will accommodate building tours and private visits to the G.A.S. Lagos building. However, we kindly request that these be booked in advance with our team.

EMAIL: info@guestartistsspace.com | ADDRESS: G.A.S. Lagos, 9B Hakeem Dickson Drive, off T.F. Kuboye Road, Oniru, Lagos, Nigeria.

How You Can Support Our Foundation

Your generous contributions support the Foundation’s distinctive interdisciplinary residencies, research, education programmes and public events.

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About Us

Our Buildings and Facilities

G.A.S. Lagos

G.A.S. Farm House

G.A.S. Library and Picton Archive

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