Alternative Art Education in African Art

EDITORIAL

Alternative Art Schools You Should Know

For artists, curators, critics, gallerists, and thinkers who want to immerse themselves in the art market, acquiring a formal or informal art education will always be a good way to begin. Alternative art schools are meeting the need for alternative art education, as not everyone is able to afford an MFA program. Alternative art schools focused on how African art is perceived, appreciated, and critiqued are revolutionizing how African art is taught.

Alternative art schools are often artist-run, and their programming can serve multiple purposes, including exhibitions, education, and research. Art professionals will benefit from art education as it encourages critical reflection and engagement, which can lead to an even more vibrant artistic expression. Since the pandemic, more alternative art schools dedicated to African art have been formed across the continent. Below, we have spotlighted three alternative art schools that have been active in the art scene in the last decade. These art schools have been fostering experimentation and collaborations that transcend conventional artistic boundaries.

First on the list is Àsìkò Art School:

The Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA), Lagos, started Àsìkò Art School in 2010. Their objective was to fill a gap in the educational system in Nigeria and many African countries. Their format was a combination of art workshop, residency, and art academy. The program focuses primarily on critical methodology, critical thinking, and the implementation of conceptual ideas. The Àsìkò Art School has benefited both artists and curators who are interested in thinking through the conception and execution of work while experimenting with modes of practice and thought outside of the traditional modes of working. Based in Lagos, the school operates across Accra, Dakar, Maputo, Cairo, and Cape Verde.

Day 3 of Asiko Art School, 2025, at Tintera. Image courtesy of Asiko Art School and ARD Art Institution.

Then there is RAW Académie, Dakar:

Started in 2011, the RAW Academy is the residential program of the RAW Material Company. RAW Material Company, founded in 2008, is a center for art, knowledge, and society. The RAW Academy is an experimental program dedicated to artistic research, curatorial practice, and critical writing. The program usually takes place in Dakar for 7 weeks and has welcomed more than 50 artists, writers, researchers, curators, etc. from various nationalities. It is open to visual artists interested in any medium, including writers, musicians, filmmakers, architects, curators, and researchers.

A RAW Académie Session. Image courtesy of Contemporary&