Established in 2004, Munandi Art Studio is part of the R-A-I-N Artists Initiative in The Netherlands and an affiliate to Visual Art Council of Zambia. Also a seta light studio to Art Academy without Walls in Zambia. The idea of establishing the studio came as a result of the experience gained at Rijksakademie van beeldend Kusten, in The Netherlands. And the experience got from the workshops conducted by Michael O’Donnell, at Visual Art Council, from 1996 to 1999. The main purpose was to create a new independent platform for Zambian Artists. Here artists from different backgrounds and Cultures can come together in residency to experiment, share ideas and experiences.

In Zambia artists are stuck with the 14^th century type of art, using the traditional tools and ways of making art. That is using a brush, paint on canvas and chisel on wood and stones. The art world, worldwide as moved forward from those traditional. The development of the world at large partially lies in the hands of the artists, as scientists who come up with new things and ideas which at the end of the day become useful and helpful to their communities. Munandi Art Studio offer residency to upcoming, professional and international, artists working independently as contemporary artists. Artists looking for new ways of create, experiment, study, investigate and research or want to share can come and develop.

Munandi Art Studio have two permanent residencies, one is near the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, in Ndeke Village, Meanwood. About 20km away from central business district of Lusaka, the capital city of Zambia. The other residency is on the country side in Kanakantapa area in the town next to Lusaka, about 42km away from Lusaka. In Zambia most art facilities are located in urban areas and the rural areas have been left out. Munandi have made a different by bringing the art residency close to the rural dwellers, to help motive local artists and supplement government’s effort to identify talents and nature them, and help people with no education have some talent to make a leaving.

At Munandi Art Studio we give a one month residency to local artists from both the city and villages. During the residency, a two weeks workshop is organized so that artists can develop ideas together, it’s an annual event. The main purpose is to create a culture of realizing ideas together, by changing the mind sets of people moving them away from a culture of selfishness and working in isolation. A culture of developing ideas together can bring meaningful sustainable community development, and help fight the parasite of corruption which as engulfed the entire country. We are using art as a spark for that idea.

Aim of Munandi Art Studio

To provide a platform conducive for creating, experiment, investigate study and research in contemporary art. Also exchange ideas and experiences between national and international artists.

Cooperation within Zambia

Munandi Art Studio is connected to Visual Arts Council of Zambia, Insakartists, and Zambia Ultra Art Gallery and is also in connection with Matero Art Residency Program.

Cooperation within Africa

Munandi Art Studio is busy establishing contacts with other institutions and artists within the African continent.

Connections are yet to be established:

• KinStudio in Kinshasa D.R Congo an organization run by Vitshois Mwilambwe Bondo ( former resident artist, Rijksakademie 08/09).

International cooperation

Munandi Art Studio is part of the RAIN Artists initiatives network of the Rijksakademie, Amsterdam,The Netherlands. Munandi is also working in collaboration with CentrumCentrum in Szczecin (Poland) an organization spear headed by Lukasz Jastrubczak.