STILL ARTIST RESIDENCY PROGRAM, founded by artist Ayana V. Jackson, supports primary care-giving, LGBTQIA+, and African diasporic artists — particularly those from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) bloc — through time, space, and financial support for the creation and presentation of new work.


Artists are each hosted for a three-month residency, receiving a private studio and living space, alongside a per diem, materials stipend, and honorarium. During their stay, artists also produce Benefit Prints — an editioned set of prints of artworks created in the studio — developed with the express intention of sustaining the residency’s activities while continuing to support each artist’s practice and output. The residency’s atmosphere encourages both reflection and collaboration, nurturing creative development within a supportive and inclusive community.


Conceived and named in homage to Jackson’s paternal grandmother, STILL embodies a philosophy of mental and physical stillness; a state of pause that allows imagination and inquiry to thrive. Based in Johannesburg’s historic Ellis House Art Building, the residency situates Artists-In-Residence within a thriving and supportive artistic community, allowing them to immerse themselves within the creative ecosystem of the city.


STILL plays an active role in strengthening Johannesburg’s creative ecosystem, fostering exchange across regions, and amplifying underrepresented voices in contemporary art. Its collaborative model advances an ethos of care, equity, and sustainability within Africa’s evolving cultural landscape.