Delfina Foundation

Delfina Foundation is an independent, non-profit organisation that supports artists and hosts art residencies, workshops and exhibitions, both in the UK and through partnering with other organisations worldwide.^[1]

About

Delfina Foundation was founded in 2007 by Delfina Entrecanales CBE, as the successor to Delfina Studio Trust, initially with an intention to nurture artists from Africa, South Asia and the Middle East.^[2] The foundation now works internationally with thematic, rather than geographic, programmes that explore a range of topics such as the politics of food, the public domain, and autonomy.^[3] It collaborates with other organisations through its residency and public programmes, producing events and exhibitions with the Institute of Contemporary Arts, London, Chisenhale Gallery, The Showroom, Hayward Gallery, and Tate Modern.^[4]

Building

The Delfina Foundation facility at 29-31 Catherine Place, Victoria, was renovated and designed by London-based architects Studio Octopi and Egypt-based Shahira Fahmy Architects. The £1.4m project doubled the residency capacity and created 1,650 square feet of additional exhibition and event space, giving it a combined total area of 4,564 square feet, making it London's largest artist residency provider, completed in 2014.^[5]

Collaborations

• A.I.R Dubai: An annual artists residency programme in partnership between Art Dubai, Dubai Culture and Arts Authority and Tashkeel, focused on artists based in the United Arab Emirates.^[6]
• Indian curatorial residency: in collaborations with Charles Wallace India Trust and Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation, offering a three-month residency to a curator with Indian citizenship, living and working in India.^[7]
• Brooks International Fellowship Programme: a programme that calls for artists, curators and art historian, in collaboration with Tate modern, to apply for a three-month art residency to be part of Tate team, working at the gallery on a day-to-day basis and taking part in wider activities.^[8]
• Samdani Art Award: A bi-Annual award aims to support, promote and highlight emerging contemporary artists of Bangladesh in collaboration with Samdani Art Foundation and Bangladesh National Academy of Fine and Performing Arts.^[9]
• Mate: An annual residency for a Peruvian artist in collaboration with MATE Museo Mario Testino.^[10]
• The Silent University: a knowledge exchange platform by refugees, asylum seekers and migrants at Tate Modern, started in 2012 by artist Ahmet Ogut. It is led by a group of lecturers, consultants and research fellows.^[11]
• SAHA Association: Partnership with SAHA since 2013 on developing residency opportunities for Turkish cultural practitioners.^[12]
• Decolonizing Architecture Art Residency: An annual residency programme for UK artists and architects in Palestine in collaboration with DAAR.^[13]

Residencies and exhibitions

The predecessor to Delfina Foundation was Delfina Studio Trust, which supported over 400 artists through residencies and the provision of studio space from 1988-2006. A number of Turner Prize nominees or winners are among Delfina Studio's alumni including Shirazeh Houshiary, Jane & Louise Wilson, Mark Wallinger, Anya Gallacio, Tacita Dean, Glenn Brown, Mark Titchner, Martin Creed, Goshka Macuga, and Tomoko Takahashi.

It organised several exhibitions for resident artists:

See also

• Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art

References

External links

• Official website
• The Silent University Official website