A Consortium of Artists Gathering in Dominica to Shape the Caribbean’s Future
From January 5 to 13, 2026, in Dominica, the An Ba Lanmè project brings together seven artists from Dominica, Martinique, and Saint Lucia for an artistic residency dedicated to the rewriting and creation of Caribbean narratives.
Entitled L’Orizon, this residency marks the conclusion of the first cycle of An Ba Lanmè residencies. It offers a collective working space focused on how we tell the story of the Caribbean. From which point(s) of view do we write ? Which heritages ? Which realities ?
In a context shaped by colonial legacies, migratory movements, and shared experiences across the Caribbean basin, this residency explores how Caribbean imaginaries and representations are constructed and transmitted. An Ba Lanmè invites artists to question these narratives and to bring forth new ones, rooted in the contemporary realities, memories, and imaginaries of the Caribbean.
Shaping the future of Caribbean imaginaries
Gathered from January 5 to 13, 2026, in the town of Cochrane, Dominica, the group of artists engages in a series of meetings, exchanges, and moments of reflection dedicated to Caribbean cultural reappropriation. Over these nine days, artists from diverse disciplines blend their practices to lay the foundations for new narratives that reflect what connects Caribbean people.
Artists participating :
Michael Roch, Caribbean Afro-futurism writer, Martinique
Ethan James, performer and theatre person, Saint Lucia
Serena Williams, circus artist, Dominica
Irina Khade Elwin, circus artist, Dominica
Russel Raymond, circus artist, Dominica
Kharlen Jervier, photographe and videographer, Dominica
For this residency, movement is integrated in complementarity with writing and visual arts practices. The exploration of Caribbean imaginaries also draws on circus arts, understood here in their performative and theatrical dimensions.
This choice reflects a Caribbean reality in which storytelling is transmitted as much through the body as through words. The theatricality of language, postures, images, and sounds are an integral part of our modes of expression. Performance and theatre thus emerge as natural spaces for exploration, as well as for the circulation of narratives beyond language barriers.
«As we enter a new chapter of change and upheaval, both in the region and internationally, now is a crucial time for us as Caribbean people to create new narratives, reworking, and reweaving elements of the past into future narratives that reflect both where we are and where we want to go. Times of reflection, collaboration, and creation lie ahead, inviting us to see ourselves and our contributions to the world in a new light » says Michael Lees, président of the Waitukubuli Artist Association
Narratives as drivers of sustainable development
The residency is part of a broader reflection on the role of narratives as a lever for economic development. Beyond their creative dimension, imaginaries shape the ways territories are perceived, as well as how their economies and development are envisioned.
Today, the dominant tourism imaginary imposed on Caribbean territories is being weakened by climatic realities — such as sargassum seaweed invasions, more frequent and more intense natural disasters, and coastal erosion. These territories, connected by a shared intangible heritage, also share a collective destiny in the face of natural disasters and climate change.
An Ba Lanmè advocates the idea that rethinking narratives also means opening the way to new, more resilient and diversified forms of economic development. Writing the story that future Caribbean generations will carry and pass on lies at the heart of An Ba Lanmè’s approach.
« The L’Orizon residency reinforces An Ba Lanmè’s mission, which is to create a shared space of expression for Caribbean artists and to structure a sustainable cultural ecosystem. The creation of new narratives is first and foremost rooted in our ability to meet and connect. It emerges from the intersection of disciplines, perspectives, and talents from across the Caribbean. This diversity is essential to nourish, sustain, and ensure the longevity of a shared creative ecosystem, which represents a true lever for the development of our territories, » explains Nicolas Derné Artistic Director of Zofi Association.
A rich and committed creative journey
Throughout the residency, artists will engage with the following themes :
The Urgency of New Narratives
Decolonizing the Imaginary
Embodying Narratives
Transmitting Otherwise
Youth
A series of free workshops and creative highlights will also punctuate the L’Orizon residency :
JANUARY 07
2pm : Workshop on movement by N’jelle Thorne.(Earthstrong Studio, Copthall)
6pm : Exhibition by the Waitukubili Artist Association (WAA)
7pm : Conference on the role of cultural and creative industries in education and the economy in Dominica
8:30pm : Artistic gathering and networking session between artists from Dominica, Martinique, and Saint Lucia (Prevo Cinemall, Roseau)
JANUARY 09
Creative workshop with students from Goodwill Secondary School in the Roseau area, focused on the theme: “How can young people imagine a new future for the Caribbean ?”
JANUARY 11
Theatrical and artistic improvisation workshop with Sonia (Cochrane)
« Involving younger generations in our reflections and research is essential, as they will carry and transmit the memory of the Caribbean’s intangible heritage. An intergenerational approach lies at the heart of this project, ensuring these narratives endure and are fully embraced by future generations, » notes Indira Toussaint, co-founder of Twossaints.
About “An Ba Lanmè”
An Ba Lanmè is an artistic and cultural cooperation project bringing together Martinique, Dominica, and Saint Lucia. Its goal is to revive the historical and cultural ties connecting the Caribbean islands, based on the idea that the sea connects more than it separates.
The program explores intangible heritage and Caribbean identities through contemporary creation, bringing together artists, youth, researchers, and local communities around workshops, residencies, and public events.
From 28 july to 5 august, in Dominica : a residency exploring language as a means of emancipation.
From 7 to 14 November 2025, in Sainte-Lucia : residency centered on the sea as a shared space through Caribbean pharmacopoeia.
From 5 to 13 January 2026, in Dominica : residency dedicated to shaping future Caribbean imaginaries.
Led by a trinational consortium — ZOFI, La Station Culturelle, and Le Labo des Histoires (Martinique), Waitukubuli Artist Association (Dominica) and Twossaints (Saint Lucia).
An Ba Lanmè is a CORÉOM – Ultra-Marine Regional Cooperation program laureate and benefits from the support of the French Development Agency (AFD), Fondation de France, and the Direction of Cultural Affairs of the French Ministry of Culture in Martinique.
→ Follow An Ba Lanmè on Instagram
→ Email : anbalanme.project@gmail.com
