Cultural Artistic Production - Cotonou, Benin
This winter program will return in 2025.
This three-week winter-term program offers a unique immersive and hands-on opportunity for students to study and gain a deeper understanding of West African artistic production.
Located in the dynamic, rapidly developing city of Cotonou, Benin’s economic center, students will be paired with Beninese students to create work together. Through a range of cultural excursions, students will contextualize Beninese contemporary art and culture into the larger context of West African history.
In addition to interacting with Beninese students and visiting local artists’ studios, students will be involved in service learning projects at community libraries. Cultural excursions will include day trips to the Zinsou Foundation Museum of Contemporary Art in Ouidah, the historical slavery route and the Door of Non-Return. Academic activities, including lectures and service learning projects, will take place at various locations of the Zinsou Foundation. Open to all majors.
Here is some information to help you learn what it is like to live and travel in Benin, given your identity markers.