Name of the cultural space
UNAP independent artists’ atelier

on the artists
Since the end of 2012, facing the difficulties UNAP has been facing in the recent years, independent artists have occupied a part of the 1st floor of the UNAP building in order to create a collective workshop for their activities.
The studios of UNAP are not only working place for the artists but also offer a shelter, favoured by the artist’s friends to use the space for convivial moments and other uses.
Nelo Teixeira, N’dilo Muitima, Toy Boy, Pineldi Ayrcan, Rui VJ are some of the artists working in this space.

on the space / location
Despite the cleaning and fixing, the state of the occupied rooms remains precarious.The spaces are used both as workshops and exhibition spaces.

level of significance
Artists do not know for how long the authorities will allow them to stay there. The most important issue behind this occupation is indeed the need for them to have a shared and central space where they can meet and work. Although the UNAP should provide yearly residences for Angolan artists, this has not been the case since years. Most of the artists, due to the expensive rents in the center of Luanda, live in the bairros. The traffic jam that blocks every day the circulation in the city for hours do not allow a fast commuting and amplify the distances. Thus, artists living in different bairros end up working there but isolated or meeting in the center but with limited or no space to work.