LOST+FOUND Residency + Sharing

We’re excited to invite you to the sharing of a month-long residency on Thursday 27th July featuring 16 artists from Africa, Asia and Europe!

Lost & Found is an artist-led hybrid residency & research programme, investigating new ways of collaborating virtually, and engaging audiences across geographical boundaries. This year artists have been exploring ‘The Long Way Home’ under the guidance of a powerful artist director trio from Botswana, Uganda and India: Kat Kai Kol-Kes, Pamela Aobo Enyonu and Diya Naidu.

On the evening of Thursday 27th July – starting at 5pm GMT – you are invited to immerse yourself in performances, installations with visual, sound and wordart as well as other surprises

Botswana/Chile/Germany/India/Iran/Kenya/Nigeria/Rwanda/South Sudan/Switzerland/Uganda/UK

East African Soul Train (EAST) brings artists from across disciplines & geographies together on a journey to experiment artistically, critically exploring our entangled histories & futures. Rendered impossible during the pandemic, EAST has grown to include Lost+Found, a hybrid artist-led residency and research programme exploring how we can connect and collaborate virtually, in meaningful ways that push our artistic practice. The increased use of virtual platforms has opened up opportunities for expanding networks and working with new people, but some of the powerful, affective and generative qualities of physical experiences have been lost in this translation. 

Lost+Found uses technology and gamified approaches to catalyse connection, collaboration and cutting-edge work across geographies and disciplines (https://www.eastsoultrain.global/lostfound). Throughout the six-week programme, 16 artists from across Africa/India/Europe, will be guided through an online/offline process that inspires them to play, share perspectives with their peers, take risks and create new collaborative work. In this  programme we work with local partners around the world, use low-tech hacks and repurpose smartphone technologies (Zoom/WhatsApp/GPS/QR). The project will culminate in a series of on/offline performances/installations in India, Kenya, the UK and via Zoom for global audiences starting week commencing 24th July 2023. Following the residency we will produce an NFT collection and works will also be available virtually and as an ‘exhibition in a box’, which artists from the wider EAST collective can also use to create pop-up events in their own localities. Artists also actively participate in an ongoing research programme, generating new questions, insights and perspectives around the complex North/South power dynamics present in creative exchange opportunities and the care needed to address them. This will lead to a webinar and collaborative research paper later in 2023.

Co-Artistic Directors (Alphabetic Order): 

Diya Naidu: Dancer and Choreographer (India) @diyanise

Kat Kai Kol-Kes: Interdisciplinary Artist (Botswana) @katkkolkes

Pamela Enyonu: Visual Artist (Uganda) @syokereart

Further Details on 2023 Collaborating Artists (Alphabetic Order):

Ade (Mandela Matur): Poet, Author, spoken word artist, lyricist and expressive arts therapist

(South Sudan)

Arya Rothe: Documentary filmmaker (India)

Aldir Polymeris: Video artist, performer, theater maker and an art mediator (Switzerland/Chile)

Chuma Anagbado: Artist, Designer, Entrepreneur (Nigeria/Kenya)

Gisou Golshani: Multidisciplinary artist (Iran/UK)

Ingabire Gretta: Poet, Actress, Painter (Rwanda)

Joy Yaa Kincaid: Multidisciplinary artist (UK)

Justine Wanda: Stand-up comedian, writer, and satirist (Kenya)

Mali Bora: Music Composer and Animator (Kenya)

Meloe Gennai: Poet and a pluridisciplinary artist (Switzerland)

Mmakgosi Kgabi: Writer. Actress. Performer. Facilitator (Germany/Botswana)

Moratiwa Molema: Multidisciplinary Artist (Botswana)

Oish: Independent writer, theatre-maker, transmedia artsworker (India)

Pretty Lodenyi: Choreographer, dancer and teacher (Kenya)

Salome Egger: Artist, designer and performer (Switzerland)

Tristan Siodlak: Multidisciplinary visual artist (Switzerland)

Further details on EAST and Partners: 

East African Soul Train: a pop-up residency and creative adventure on East Africa’s historic tracks, bringing together artists, stakeholders and audiences from different disciplines and geographies to expand artistic practice, foster collaborations, build inclusive networks and reimagine perspectives (https://www.eastsoultrain.global/ @EastSoulTrain).

Freehand Studios: a visual arts and education company committed to the positive transformation of African society through socially impactful content and experiences creating compelling, inclusive and culturally relevant content in the form of illustrated books, graphic novels, animations and creative education courses (https://www.freehandmovement.com @ freehandstudioske)

Ugly Duck: Operating since 2012, Ugly Duck is a London based arts organisation that supports under-represented voices and emerging artists. Their programme enables makers, community groups, professionals and the public to come together around unique cultural experiences and curated events (https://uglyduck.org.uk/ @weareuglyduck (Insta) @WeAreUglyDuck (Twitter)).

Lost + Found is supported by:

British Council: The British Council is a UK-based organization that works to promote cultural relations and educational opportunities globally. (https://www.britishcouncil.org/ @eastafriacarts (Insta) British Council (FB)).

Prohelvetia – Swiss Arts Council: Pro Helvetia is the Swiss Arts Council, which supports and promotes arts and culture in Switzerland and internationally. (https://prohelvetia.ch/en/ @swissperformingarts (Insta) @Pro Helvetia Johannesburg – Swiss Arts Council (FB)).

EAST is supported by:

Miller-Zillmer Foundation: the foundation connects people through audio-visual art and socio-cultural projects in the interdisciplinary field of music, photography and film internationally. (https://www.miller-zillmer.foundation/ @millerzillmerfoundation (Insta) Miller-Zillmer Foundation (FB)).

For more information: info@eastsoultrain.global | eastsoultrain.global/lost-found | @eastsoultrain