The Ge'eza Institute: An Ambition for East-West Africa Exchange

The Ge'eza Institute is an ambition set out in the house's vision: to become, in time, a reference centre for cultural exchange between East and West Africa, through artist residencies, cross programmes and institutional gatherings. That wording, visible on Ge'eza's about page, describes a project for the future: as things stand, no residency is open, no cross programme is under way, and the Institute does not yet exist as a separate structure.

A house built as a bridge between two Africas

Ge'eza means "house" in Ge'ez, Ethiopia's liturgical language, and the house in Point E has, since it opened, presented itself as a bridge between two Africas, East and West. An Ethiopian restaurant, a contemporary art gallery and a concept store under one roof, the villa already brings together a kitchen, a coffee tradition and artworks from both regions. The Ge'eza Institute would extend that same principle to a wider scale, beyond a single venue in Dakar.

What the vision describes

The wording on the about page sets out three possible formats for the Institute: artist residencies, which would give creators dedicated time and a place to work away from their usual studio; cross programmes, which would connect artists, researchers or cultural professionals from East and West Africa; and institutional gatherings, bringing together cultural players from both regions around shared projects. For now, these three formats remain a stated direction, not a timeline.

What already exists, in practice

While the Institute itself is not yet a structure, some formats Ge'eza has already held point in the direction of that ambition. The "Un pays à l'honneur" series has, in turn, invited an African culture to take over the house in Point E: Cape Verde in August 2026, then Sudan, each with an exhibition, a music brunch and a small craft market. On the scale of a single event, these editions show the kind of exchange between regions the Institute would envisage over time.

Why Ethiopia and Senegal give a natural starting point

Ge'eza's founder is Ethiopian, based in Dakar, and the house has, from the start, told a story about the relationship between these two countries. The article on Addis Ababa and Dakar, two capitals in dialogue looks at what these two cities share and what sets them apart, a background that gives real meaning to the idea of exchange between East and West Africa.

What the Ge'eza Institute is not, for now

To be entirely clear: no artist residency is currently open under this name, no cross programme is under way, no institutional gathering has been announced, and no launch date has been communicated. The Ge'eza Institute remains a horizon the house has set for itself, not a structure one can apply to today. Organisers looking for an active residency right now would be better served checking organisations already in operation, each with its own criteria published on its official site.

Why a house would set itself such an ambition

A house like Ge'eza, which already lives off exchange between kitchen, coffee and art, has a natural reason to think beyond its own walls. A gallery that hosts artists from different regions, a restaurant that serves two cuisines, a coffee ceremony practised every day: these everyday practices feed the idea that a more structured dialogue, at the scale of two regions of the continent, could one day take a more lasting shape. That is the reasoning behind the Institute's vision, without it presupposing a timeline or a specific legal structure.

Following this ambition over time

As with any future project, the best source remains Ge'eza's about page and the house's usual channels (its site and Instagram), which will announce any concrete step for the Institute when it happens. Nothing today allows for a date to be guessed.

A long term view, not a short term announcement

Ambitions of this kind, set by a private house rather than a public institution, usually take shape slowly: building relationships with artists and organisations in both regions, testing smaller formats, and only later considering something as structured as a residency or a cross programme. Reading the Ge'eza Institute's vision with that pace in mind helps set the right expectations, rather than looking for a launch date that simply has not been set.

Taking it further

For any question about this ambition, or about a cultural project that would bridge East and West Africa, Ge'eza's team replies on WhatsApp at +221 78 660 07 07 or at geezacultures@gmail.com.