The Civitella Ranieri Foundation has announced the fellows for their 2023-2025 seasons. The list of twenty-two features a fair representation of African writers. They are the British-Ghanaian novelist Caleb Azumah Nelson, the Ugandan author Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi, the Namibian author Rémy Ngamije, and the Zambian-American author Namwali Serpell.
Founded in 1995 by arts philanthropist Ursula Corning, the highly prestigious fellowship seasonally invites visual artists, writers and composers to a 15th-century castle in the Umbria region of Italy for six-week long unstructured residencies. The space provided enables fellows to pursue their individual creative work as well as exchange ideas in a mutual, inspiring setting.
The Civitella Ranieri Foundation provides robust funding for its fellows, including transportation, accommodation and paid excursions. Over the years, its 800+ fellows have gone on to win prestigious honors such as the Nobel Prize, Turner Award, Pulitzer Prize etc.
The recently announced class of African fellows offers an interesting mix of rising stars —Azumah-Nelson and Ngamije—alongside more established authors —Makumbi and Serpell. They join an expansive list of previous African fellows including: the likes of Booker Prize winner Damon Galgut and nominee Tsitsi Dangaremgba; Caine Prize winners Brian Chikwava, Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor and Monica Arac de Nyeko; A. Igoni Barrett, Kayo Chingonyi, Imraan Coovadia, Mia Couto, Obinkaram Echewa, Abubakar Adam Ibrahim, Elnathan John, Bruce Zondiwe Mbano, Wame Molefhe, Masande Ntshanga, Obi Nwakanma, Maik Nwosu, Alexis Okeowo, Chinelo Okparanta, Enuma Okoro, and Mary Stella Okoro, among others.
Congratulations to the fellows!
Go here to see the full list.
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