Bodhi Khaya Residency is an annual two-week, funded, artist-founded, artist-led and process-oriented
residency. It was initiated by a small group of artist friends who, after being accepted into
international residencies, recognized a lack of similar opportunities within the South African arts
landscape. In response, they established the residency in 2021.
The aim is to provide emerging and mid-career South African artists with a space to explore and deepen
their relationship with the environment through historical, political, societal, and personal lenses.
The residency encourages artists to make these relationships visible, audible, and tangible.
Bodhi Khaya Residency is run voluntarily by artists, operating with an alarmingly modest amount of
funding. The continued existence is made possible by the generous provision of free accommodation by
Bodhi Khaya Retreat Centre and by charging a modest application fee.
Artists at Bodhi Khaya residency immerse themselves on three neighbouring nature reserves, Bodhi
Khaya, Blomerus and Platbos, in the midst of an intense reforestation project, surrounded by old-
growth Afro-Montane forests, fynbos, streams and regenerative farming projects.
Participants are invited to explore, through dialogue, collaborative work and hands-on practice, how
art can catalyze change—whether by nurturing sustainability, advocating for gender and racial equity,
fostering social creativity, or regenerating lands scarred by exploitation. We envision art as a force
for renewal, capable of restoring not only ecosystems but also our collective sense of belonging to
the earth.
Country: ZA South Africa - Localisation: Stanfrod, Western Cape, South Africa - Email: lelihoch@gmail.com - Website - Instagram
