Would you like to put your head down and have some peace and quiet to finally finish that book you always wanted to write, that play you wanted to finish, that opera you wanted to compose or that painting that is still waiting to be painted? We might have the perfect place for you. In collaboration with our art-loving neighbours, which offer private accommodation adjoining the community centre and its campsite, we are setting up a artist-in-residence programm to lure more talents to the little town of Chilonga. Off course, Kambisa! being originally a media movement, writers-in-residence, filmmakers-in-residence and radiomakers-in-residence are also very welcome, provided they can bring their own gear.
Conditions:
– as you are invited by Kambisa!, we expect you to follow the Kambisa! houserules: respect nature, respect yourself and respect others. This include avoiding the use of drugs and alcohol, and modest behaviour in attitude and dressing. Please note we invite you to come learn from a new environment, and you are not expected to come ‘help’ Africans, but to collaborate. Please read our constitution and code of conduct to see if you are comfortable with these.
– If you want to give a workshop at the community centre, it will be much appreciated. Ask the caretakers about the needs of the local people who are expected to attend it, and make sure they have enough time to annouce it, so people will be able to attend. We prefer it if you (only) use locally avaible resources, so that your participants will be able to develop their new skills after you are gone. Please avoid using toxic chemicals.
– you are expected to bring the materials and tools you may need yourself. We do have a number of carpentry tools, and expect to set up a small film & music studio in the near future. Let us know upfront if you plan to use these facilities.
– the community centre is located at an offgrid location, and runs on solar enegy and water from a borehole (which is safe to drink). If you plan to use a lot of electricity, please let us know well ahead, so we can switch to the main grid and prevent damaging the solar system.
Opportunities:
– we have partnerships with organisations like Chilonga Art Creations (excellent dancers and actors who use our premises for their traditional rehearsals every Friday) and the Minamba Research Farm, which runs a project called University of Local Knowledge, and can help you get in touch with local knowledge (a.k.a. ‘traditional knowledge’or ‘indigenous knowledge’). If you aim to use such resources for you work, please make sure you draft a data sharing agreement with local knowledge holders to protect their rights. We can help you with a sample contract. The University of Local Knowledge may like to get a copy of any data you may gather.
Accommodation:
– Kambisa! has a campsite, but we expect you to prefer to stay in a private room at the mainhouse, or the nearby ‘Stargazers Suite’, named after the view from its balcony. It can accommodate a number of people. Each room has a small desk. The mainhouse has a kitchen with a gas stove, a fridge, a freezer and a dining table. There is a small selection of books and games.
– the accommodation at the mainhouse generally starts at 10 Euro’s a night. If you are unable to spare this, make sure you get in touch to see if you can contribute in any other way
– at least 20% of the payment for accommodation is donated to Kambisa!BeHeard and is used to run the community centre and its projects.
Interested? Contact info@kambisa.org