Empowering African artists through Tyburn Foundation, Civitella Ranieri

The Tyburn Foundation/Civitella Ranieri international residency programme will nurture early-career creatives from the continent, offering them the space, time, and support to grow beyond commercial constraints and thrive within the global art ecosystem.

Civitella Ranieri, a prestigious international multi-disciplinary residency program nestled in the hills of Umbria, Italy, has hosted a remarkable roster of African and Diaspora visual artists, including acclaimed figures such as Professor El Anatsui, William Kentridge, Delio Jasse, Paul Onditi, Berni Searles, Nastio Mosquito, and Zanele Muholi.

Four Nigerian visual artists: professor of ceramic art and art history at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka Ozioma Onuzulike (2003), Fatimah Tuggar (2002), Victor Ehikhamenor (2018), and Nengi Omuku (2024) have also taken part as Civitella Fellows.

More African artists are set to head to the residency this year with the support of the Tyburn Foundation, a not-for-profit visual arts organisation working to foster a dynamic and diverse African art ecosystem. Earlier this year, Tyburn announced an international residency programme with Civitella Ranieri and Animal Farm in Zimbabwe to promote artistic exchange and collaboration between African and global institutions.

Beginning this month, the Tyburn Foundation-affiliated fellowship at Civitella will sponsor artists for a six-week residency at the Civitella Ranieri Castle in Umbria.  South African sculptor Driaan Claassen will be the inaugural artist. He will be followed by Morocco’s Khadija Jayi and Zimbabwean Option Dzikamai Nyahunzvi in 2026.

The Residency will provide artists the space, time, support, and resources to develop their practices and careers. Additionally, they will meet with other visual artists and connect with musicians and writers at Civitella Ranieri, expanding their global networks.

Emma Menell

Tyburn Foundation founder and director Emma Menell, art collector and past gallerist, describes the vision behind the initiative:

“Our mission is to contribute to a diverse and vibrant African art ecosystem. Tyburn seeks to offer artists from Africa opportunities for residencies and exhibitions internationally, supporting the growth and visibility of their artistic practices on a global scale. 

“The partnerships with Civitella Ranieri in Italy and Animal Farm in Zimbabwe, as well as the Residency programme at La Foce, work collectively towards a more dedicated, tailored, and slow-paced engagement with artists than is possible in a commercial context. We are committed to the long-term support of artists to support their practices and enable them to make a vital contribution to society on a global scale.”

Menell highlighted the fellowship’s selection process as collaborative and transparent. The Tyburn Foundation put forward artists to the Civitella Ranieri Selection Board, who made the final selection. “Each year, Civitella Ranieri brings together cohorts of visual artists, composers, and writers for six-week sessions at the castle to work independently and communally, without judgment or disruption. The environment is one of self-directed work and honest exchange. Since 1995, Civitella has hosted more than 1,000 artists worldwide.”

For Driaan Claassen, the first Tyburn/Civitella fellow, the residency offers more than just a studio in Italy—it represents an extraordinary opportunity to reflect, explore, and create without expectation or pressure.

“I felt honoured, especially after realising what other artists have gone through those doors. I felt very honoured and, in some sense, a little shocked that they chose me. The previous residencies I was at emphasised some form of creation at the end of the residency that needs to be either documented or presented. In contrast, this residency clearly states that they don’t want the artist to be in the process of expecting to create something. If they create something, that’s great, but the expectation is not there. There’s a massive ease around the time I spend there. I can use it in a way that suits me. 

“The other aspect is the environment in which it’s happening, Italy, which has an incredible background of Renaissance and Italian paintings and sculptures. So, having access to places like Rome and Florence and being exposed to that quality of work will be an incredible experience. I will mainly focus on creating and playing around with painting on canvas, either between gouache or something like acrylic. That will be my focus in the residency itself. That might become something I explore further outside my career in the future.”

The Tyburn Foundation/Civitella Ranieri Fellowship is a boon to African art and artists, working to scale back commercial pressures on early-career artists. Hence, they have the space and time to focus on growing and developing their practices. Contemporary African art, which has gained global recognition globally, can only benefit from this initiative.

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