Sisonke Msimang Wins a 2017 AIR Bellagio Residency

This is turning out to be a great year for PEN SA Board Member Sisonke Msimang. Shortly after being shortlisted for the 2018 Alan Paton Award for her memoir Always Another Country, she has been named one of four winners of the prestigious Africa Centre AIR Bellagio residencies.

Three years ago, the Africa Centre and the Rockefeller Foundation developed a collaboration to support mid to late career African artists by offering residency opportunities at the Foundation’s Bellagio Center in Italy.

This residency award is granted to applicants whose work and process aligns with the Africa Centre and Rockefeller Foundation’s shared goal to catalyse art that progresses the wellbeing of humanity and advances positive social change.

The four winners are:

• Biyi Bandele, multidisciplinary artist, Nigeria
• Mona Eltahawy, literature, Egypt
• Noo Saro – Wiwa, literature, Nigeria
• Sisonke Msimang, literature, South Africa

Congratulations to Sisonke and the other winners. Applications for the 2018 Artists In Residency Program will open on 1 July 2018.