The Library of Africa and the African Diaspora (LOATAD) Black Atlantic Residency is now accepting applications for its third and final iteration, exploring the theme “What is Africa to the World? African Worldmaking and the Reinvention of Africa.” The one-month residency will take place in Accra, Ghana, from February to April 2026.

Following the success of the inaugural residency “What is Africa to me?” and the second “What is Africa to us?”, this final iteration seeks to examine how writers, scholars, and activists are disrupting global ideas of Africa and re/creating new meanings through African worldmaking. Taking inspiration from the late Congolese scholar V.Y. Mudimbe’s seminal text *The Invention of Africa*, the residency considers how literature and activism can upend Western constructions of the continent while building on indigenous systems and knowledge.

Open to writers of African descent from Africa, the Americas, the Caribbean, and Europe, the residency aims to break down barriers by bringing together voices from across the continent and diaspora around common purpose and themes. Participants whose work engages with the complexities of being African or of African descent in the 21st century are encouraged to apply.

The residency will explore critical questions including Africa’s place in the world, the role of writers in African worldmaking, how literary movements can unite writers and activists across borders, and how genres like Africanfuturism can shape real-world change.

What Participants Receive:
– Up to $600 USD for travel costs (excluding from USA due to funding conditions)
– One month room and board at LOATAD in Accra
– $500 USD stipend
– Access to extensive library resources
– Cultural trips and meetings with key figures in the Ghanaian/African literary space

Expectations:
Residents must commit to the full residency duration and produce a 2,500-10,000 word piece on the theme for publication in the program anthology. Participants will engage in workshops, critique sessions, and a public event, while being open to documentation for archival and promotional purposes.

Eligibility:
– Writers of all genres (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, plays, academic texts) with good publication credits
– Must be 21 or over with valid passport and willingness to travel to Ghana
– Can write in any language but must communicate in English
– Open to beginner, emerging, and established writers from Africa, the Caribbean, and North/South America, and Europe

Application Requirements:
Submit a single PDF by September 7, 2025, containing:
– Letter of motivation (one page)
– Description of how your work engages with residency themes
– Writing sample (max 1,500 words in English or with English translation)
– Contact information for two referees

Generously supported by Hawthornden Foundation, this residency represents a unique opportunity to contribute to vital conversations about African identity, diaspora connections, and the power of literature to reshape global narratives.

Interested writers are encouraged to apply early and review the full terms and conditions on the LOATAD website.