Organizer Information
The open call is organized by the Dreaming New Worlds initiative, a Pan-African art and technology platform launched in 2023 in collaboration with the Goethe-Institut network and partner cultural institutions across Africa. The Goethe-Institut is Germany’s global cultural institute, working internationally to promote cultural exchange, education, and contemporary artistic production through residencies, research programs, and transnational collaborations.
Dreaming New Worlds is conceived as a long-term interdisciplinary framework that connects artists, scientists, engineers, researchers, and cultural theorists across African cities and regions. Its mission is to foster experimental production at the intersection of art, technology, and knowledge systems, with a strong emphasis on African-centered epistemologies, indigenous knowledge frameworks, and critical digital futures.
The 2026 edition expands its structure into four Pan-African “nodes,” creating a distributed network of collaboration across multiple countries. Each node functions as a localized research and production environment while contributing to a shared continental discourse.
Title & Description
Goethe-Institut: Dreaming New Worlds Pan-African Art and Technology Open Call
Dreaming New Worlds 2026 invites applications from multidisciplinary collectives to develop experimental prototypes that interrogate how “codes”—technological, ethical, cultural, and computational—shape systems of leadership, belonging, governance, and innovation in African contexts.
The 2026 theme, “Codes of Conduct,” explores how technological infrastructures such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and computational systems are reshaping ideas of authority, morality, and social organization. The program positions coding not only as a technical practice but as a political and cultural act that defines how societies are structured and imagined.
Selected collectives will receive funding and structured support to design and produce a functional prototype—a small to medium-scale system, platform, artwork, or experimental tool. This prototype must demonstrate how codes shape behavior and decision-making systems, while remaining grounded in African socio-political realities and contributing to broader Pan-African and global discussions.
The program is structured across four thematic nodes across Africa, each addressing a specific sub-theme:
- Ethics of Power
- Building Distributed Networks
- Feminist & Ecological Governance
- Techno-Political Futures
Collectives will engage in research, collaborative production, public programming, and cross-node knowledge exchange, culminating in a public presentation and inclusion in a long-term digital archive.
Categories
- Visual Art
- Media Art / Digital Art
- Interactive Systems / Installation
- Creative Coding
- Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning Art
- Sound Art
- Performance (interdisciplinary)
- Research-Based Art Practice
- Critical Design
- Speculative Design
- Technology / Engineering Hybrid Practices
- Transdisciplinary Cultural Research
Eligibility
- Multidisciplinary collectives (minimum 2 members)
- International collectives are eligible, provided they are based within one of the designated African nodes
- At least one collective member must be based in the relevant node region at the time of application
- Collectives must include at least two disciplines (e.g., art + technology, research + engineering, policy + design)
- Open to emerging, mid-career, and established practitioners
- Encourages participation from women, marginalized voices, and underrepresented communities
- At least one member must be able to communicate in English
Not eligible:
- Individual applicants
- Purely commercial projects without research or cultural inquiry
- Projects already fully completed or fully funded
- Collectives without a regional connection to a node
Program Benefits & Awards
- €3,000 production grant per collective
- Participation in the Dreaming New Worlds Lab (one-month intensive program in July 2026)
- Access to mentorship from experts in art, technology, ethics, and policy
- Inclusion in a Pan-African cohort across four nodes
- Opportunity to present work in public programs and festivals (where applicable)
- Documentation and long-term archiving on the Dreaming New Worlds digital platform
- Eligibility for research travel grants (up to €3,000 additional, subject to approval)
- Potential visibility in international exhibitions and partner institutions
Application Fee
None
Application Requirements
- Collective profile (150 words per member)
- Project concept (max 600 words)
- Cross-disciplinary collaboration statement (max 300 words)
- Ethical considerations (max 300 words)
- Preliminary budget breakdown for a €3,000 grant
- Public program proposal and budget integration
- Work samples (up to 5 examples per collective)
- Travel motivation plan (if applicable)
How to Apply?
Applications must be submitted via email: dnw@goethe.de
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: May 19, 2026
- Selection Announcement: June 2026
- Dreaming New Worlds Lab: July 2026
- Prototype Presentations: July 2026
- Final Showcase / Platforming: September 2026
- Program Duration: June – December 2026
Location
The program operates across four Pan-African nodes distributed across multiple countries in Africa, including (but not limited to): Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Togo, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, South Africa, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Namibia, Angola, and Rwanda.
Core coordination is linked to Lagos, Nigeria, through the Goethe-Institut network and partner cultural institutions, with hybrid in-person and online collaboration across all nodes.
Additional Details
Each collective must design and produce a functional prototype, meaning a working system or testable model rather than purely conceptual work. The emphasis is on systems thinking, ethical governance, and real-world applicability.
The program includes a structured Lab phase (July 2026), public engagement activities, and a digital archive known as the “Digital Atlas,” which documents all processes and outcomes.
Collectives are also encouraged to apply for research travel grants to deepen fieldwork within their node region. Reporting requirements include monthly check-ins, a mid-term report, and a final report with financial documentation.
The program emphasizes ethical collaboration, responsible use of data, and non-extractive engagement with communities.