Black Rock Senegal

What Black Rock Senegal does

Black Rock Senegal is a private, non-profit multi-disciplinary artist residency program located in Yoff, Dakar, Senegal, founded in 2019 by internationally acclaimed artist Kehinde Wiley. The program hosts 15-16 international artists annually across visual art, writing, filmmaking, photography, sculpture, textiles, and multimedia, with residencies lasting one to three months. Residents receive fully furnished private apartments with adjacent studios, three meals daily, language tutoring (English, French, Wolof), a modest stipend, and staff assistance at no cost to the artist, with 60+ alumni served across five residency years.

The core 'technology' is a purpose-built compound on the westernmost point of continental Africa, designed by Senegalese architect Abib Djenné with interior collaboration from Aïssa Dione and Wiley himself. The facility includes three single-occupancy residency apartments with adjacent studio spaces, Wiley's personal studio and residence, and shared common areas (dining, library, gym, sauna, swimming pool, interior gardens). Applications are accepted annually through the Picter platform and reviewed by a curated jury that has included Thelma Golden, Swizz Beatz, Naomi Campbell, Amoako Boafo, and Antwaun Sargent. Selection, branding, and programming are tightly controlled by the founder.

Revenue is generated via four donor membership tiers (Suuf $1K-$1.5K, Odò $5K-$6K, Daanaka-dun $10K-$12K, Okuta $20K-$25K annual), merchandise sold exclusively through kehindewileyshop.com, tax-deductible donations processed via the Black Rock Global Arts Foundation (donately.com portal), and a share of proceeds from alumni art sold at exhibitions including 1-54 Art Fair (Marrakech and New York), the Blaise Senghor Cultural Center, and the Harvey B. Gantt Center. The organization employs approximately 10 staff and has no disclosed external funding, parent company, or revenue figures.

Name

Black Rock Senegal

Legal name

Black Rock Senegal

Website

https://blackrocksenegal.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Black Rock Senegal is a non-profit multi-disciplinary artist residency program in Dakar, Senegal, founded by Kehinde Wiley in 2019. It hosts 15-16 international artists annually at a purpose-built compound, funded through donor memberships, merchandise, and exhibition proceeds.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Dakar

HQ country

Senegal

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Membership programs (Friends of Black Rock): Annual membership tiers (Suuf $1,000–$1,500, Odò $5,000–$6,000, Daanaka-dun $10,000–$12,000, Okuta $20,000–$25,000) provide tax-deductible donations and benefits including studio visits, event invitations, curated tours, and travel opportunities.
2. Merchandise and limited edition products: Partnership with Kehinde Wiley to sell limited edition merchandise (notecards, silk scarves, beach towels) through kehindewileyshop.com, with proceeds supporting the residency program.
3. Donations and grants: Direct donations through the Black Rock Global Arts Foundation (donately.com portal). The foundation raises funds to support artist travel grants, production costs, and alumni programming.
4. Exhibition sales: A portion of proceeds from alumni art sales at exhibitions (e.g., 1-54 Art Fair Marrakech and New York, Blaise Senghor Cultural Center) is directed to benefit the Black Rock Senegal residency program.
5. Application fees: The residency provides room, board, individual studio space, a modest stipend, and staff assistance to resident artists. Applications are accepted annually for multi-month residency periods.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Black Rock Senegal operates a multi-disciplinary artist-in-residence program in Dakar, Senegal, providing selected artists with fully furnished private apartments, adjacent studio space, meals, language tutoring, a modest stipend, and staff support for one to three months per residency cycle. The program is anchored by an annual open-call application process curated by a selection jury and supplemented by tiered donor memberships, limited-edition merchandise, alumni exhibitions, and public programming that connect artists to the West African cultural ecosystem.

Product overview

Black Rock Senegal is a multi-disciplinary artist-in-residence program, not a technology product or software platform. It does not offer technology products, modules, or services in the traditional sense. The organization operates as an arts residency that provides residency opportunities for visual artists, writers, and filmmakers in Dakar, Senegal, founded by Kehinde Wiley in 2019.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Friends of Black Rock: Membership program with tiers: Suuf ($1,000 individual/$1,500 dual), Odò ($5,000/$6,000), Daanaka-dun ($10,000/$12,000), and Okuta ($20,000/$25,000) annual dues with various benefits including studio visits, gallery access, and travel opportunities

Products and services

• Artist-In-Residence Program An annual open-call multi-disciplinary artist-in-residence program in Dakar, Senegal, offering selected artists fully furnished private apartments with adjacent studio space, three meals daily, language tutoring, a modest stipend, and staff support for one to three months per cycle.
• Friends of Black Rock Membership Annual philanthropic membership program with tiered dues (Suuf $1,000–$1,500, Odò $5,000–$6,000, Daanaka-dun $10,000–$12,000, Okuta $20,000–$25,000) providing partially tax-deductible contributions and benefits including studio visits, gallery access, curated tours, event invitations, impact reports, recognition on the Black Rock Global Arts website, travel opportunities, and private gatherings with Founder Kehinde Wiley.
• Kehinde Wiley x Black Rock Limited Edition Merchandise Limited-edition merchandise collection including notecards, 100% silk scarves, and beach towels, sold exclusively through kehindewileyshop.com with a portion of proceeds directed to support the Black Rock Senegal residency program.
• Emerging Artists Mentorship Program (Dakar) A short-term mentorship residency in Dakar targeting emerging artists on the African continent, providing structured mentorship, studio practice, and programming over approximately four weeks.
• Alumni Exhibition Program Curated alumni exhibitions presented at partner venues including 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair (Marrakech and New York), Blaise Senghor Cultural Center (Dakar), and Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture (Charlotte), with proceeds from sales directed to benefit the residency program.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 60 artists served across five residency years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + CulturecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 August 2024Partnership for an exhibition of alumni work opening August 9th in Charlotte, North Carolina, as part of the Gantt Center's 50th anniversary celebrations. The collaboration focuses on highlighting the talent and originality of Black Rock Senegal artists-in-residence and the impact of the Dakar locale.
• Blaise Senghor Cultural CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 May 2024Exhibition of alumni work from years 3 and 4 of the residency, titled 'Encounters,' curated by Jareh Das, displayed at the Blaise Senghor Cultural Center in Dakar, Senegal from May 16 to June 16, 2024. Opening party featured performances and local vendors. The exhibition is presented in themed groupings based on medium, drawing on experiences in Dakar during residency periods.
• 1-54 Contemporary African Art FairflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 February 2024A two-year partnership announced February 2024. Black Rock will host alumni exhibitions at 1-54 Marrakech (February 7-11, 2024) featuring Léonard Pongo and Devin B. Johnson, and at 1-54 New York (May 1-4, 2024) featuring Grace Lynne Haynes and Tajh Rust. Black Rock is the Special Projects partner at 1-54 New York. A portion of proceeds from sales supports the Black Rock Senegal residency program. Black Rock also spearheads a symposium bringing together artist-centric institutions on the continent.
• Kehinde WileyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounder Kehinde Wiley's partnership to launch a line of limited edition merchandise (notecards, 100% silk scarves, beach towels) whose proceeds support the Black Rock Senegal residency program. Available exclusively at kehindewileyshop.com. This is an ongoing partnership that began in 2020.
• Absolut ArtminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCharitable partnership with Absolut Art to create an exclusive print edition ('Head of a Young Girl Veiled') to support the Black Rock Senegal artist-in-residence program.
• Dr. Abdou Karim Diop (West Health District of Dakar)minorOthersPartnership with Dr. Abdou Karim Diop, head of the West Health District of Dakar, and Association des Femmes de la Cité Biagui et Toundourya (AFBET) for the donation of 700 masks to combat the spread of COVID-19 in Dakar.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Recess: Brooklyn-based non-profit supporting artists through residencies, public programs, and exhibitions. Comparable in mission (supporting underrepresented artists) and programming model, though with a smaller physical footprint.

Direct peers

• Casa Wabi Foundation: Artist residency in Oaxaca, Mexico founded by artist Bosco Sodi, featuring a purpose-built compound with private studios and shared spaces. Closely analogous to Black Rock in being an artist-founded, architect-designed residency compound outside a traditional Western art capital.
• Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture: Invitation-based, multi-disciplinary artist residency program in Maine with a similar model of curated selection, dedicated studio time, and a renowned alumni network. Most direct functional peer to Black Rock in terms of program structure, even though geographic and thematic focus differ.
• MacDowell: One of the oldest U.S. artist residencies, offering studio time, lodging, and stipends to invited artists across disciplines. Closely comparable in funding model (non-profit, donor-supported), application process, and provision of free residency to selected artists.
• Yaddo: Historic artist residency in Saratoga Springs, NY offering multi-week residencies across visual arts, writing, film, and music. Comparable in providing fully-funded room, board, and studio space to invited artists and operating a celebrated alumni network.
• Joan Mitchell Center: New Orleans-based residency and program hub for visual artists, with residencies, fellowships, and convenings — closely comparable in offering free multi-week residencies to artists with a donor-funded, foundation-led operating model.
• Headlands Center for the Arts: Sausalito, CA residency offering fully-funded multi-week residencies in a converted military campus, with public programming and alumni exhibitions. Comparable in facility-driven residency model and curated selection process.
• Pioneer Works: Brooklyn-based non-profit arts institution combining residencies, exhibitions, and public programming for artists across disciplines. Comparable in combining artist residencies with ongoing public events and donor-supported operations.
• Triangle Arts Association: Brooklyn-based residency and exhibition program supporting international artists, particularly those from regions underrepresented in Western art discourse. Comparable in supporting cross-cultural exchange and emerging international artists.

Regional players

• Raw Material Company: Dakar-based center for art, knowledge, and society that is one of Black Rock's named symposium partners (RAW Material Company curator Ndeye Filly Gueye). Comparable as a West African institution supporting contemporary African art practice and discourse.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/blackrocksenegal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/black-rock-senegal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Black Rock Senegal