Artists fleeing rising rents in Abidjan are transforming Côte d’Ivoire’s historic coastal city of Grand Bassam into a thriving creative hub. As scores of new studios and international artist residences open their doors, the UNESCO World Heritage site is experiencing a cultural renaissance following a decade of economic and security challenges.
By the poolside of La Fourchette de Rōze hotel in Grand Bassam, a Côte d’Ivoire city sandwiched between the Ébrié lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean, a birthday party was in progress (The Guardian). On a second-floor gallery overlooking the billowing waves, visual artist Nuits Balnéaires stands beside a massive canvas (AOL).
Childhood weekend visits from nearby Abidjan forged a deep early bond with the coastal destination for Balnéaires, who permanently relocated from his family home in the commercial capital in July 2019 (The Guardian). A print from his project Eboro
won the Latitudes programme of the Hermès Corporate Foundation (AOL). His story reflects a much broader demographic shift across West Africa’s cultural landscape.
The Economic Exodus From Abidjan’s Rising Costs
For the past ten years, the 30-mile (45km) journey east from Abidjan to Grand Bassam has become a road well travelled by creative professionals (AOL). Escalating rents driven by a wider cost-of-living crisis have made urban studio maintenance increasingly difficult for many artists remaining in the country’s bustling commercial center (The Guardian).
As a direct result of these financial pressures, creative workers are seeking out more affordable alternatives (AOL). Collectors note that while spots like Bingerville absorb some of the spillover, others travel even farther afield toward Dabou, Jacqueville, and deeper into Grand Bassam itself—though the historic city is also seeing gradual price increases that push some artists further out (The Guardian).
Historic Architecture Meets Modern Artistic Ambition
As Côte d’Ivoire’s first capital, Grand Bassam offers a distinct set of advantages over its chaotic neighbor (AOL). The town’s colonial architecture earned official recognition when it was listed as a Unesco world heritage site in 2012 (AOL). Scenic beachfronts, cheaper markets, fresher food, and convenient airport proximity combine with a sense of nostalgia embedded in abandoned colonial structures (The Guardian).
Guadeloupe-born artist Elladj Lincy Deloumeaux relocated from Paris to Abidjan five years ago before making a secondary move to Grand Bassam two years ago, securing both an apartment and a dedicated studio space (The Guardian). He describes the coastal destination as a very calm and soothing place that’s conducive to working and finding inspiration
(AOL).
This cultural resurgence represents a significant recovery for the locality. Once a centre of cultural trade and tourism, Grand Bassam saw its appeal decline over the years as Abidjan became more cosmopolitan, compounded by a jihadist attack in 2016 that left 19 people dead (AOL).
Museum Restorations and International Residencies
Physical evidence of the town’s ongoing renaissance is visible across its historic streets (AOL). Last year marked the official reopening of the former colonial customs and post office building following a restoration project (The Guardian). Now operating as La Maison de l’Art, the contemporary art museum features a courtyard cafe and a sculpture garden (AOL).
At the museum’s launch, Culture Minister Françoise Remarck praised public-private partnerships aimed at preserving local history and highlighting the country’s modern art (The Guardian).
“Today, we are doing much more than opening the doors of a space dedicated to art. We are taking an act of recognition and appreciation of African artistic genius.”
Françoise Remarck, Culture Minister
Private institutions are matching government initiatives. La Fourchette de Rōze established an artist-in-residence program in January 2023 that has hosted over two dozen global artists and musicians, including Nuits Balnéaires (The Guardian). Nearby in Mondoukou, La Cocoteraie des Arts provides open-air art ateliers and gallery residences just minutes outside city limits (AOL).
Future Outlook and Artistic Rivalries
Dozens of new studios continue to pop up throughout Grand Bassam (AOL). Ivorian-French photographer Aïcha Fall, who returned from Paris to settle in the city in 2023, plans to add another studio space later this year (The Guardian).
Fall stated that she grew up in the French countryside and has always loved a place that is calm Aïcha Fall, photographer.
While some enthusiastic followers of the art scene predict Grand Bassam could eventually rival or even upstage Abidjan as an art haven, industry skeptics point out that most of the country’s galleries and art institutions, patrons, and collectors remain rooted in the commercial capital (AOL). Major continental fixtures such as Abidjan Art Week continue to draw people from across the continent and are yet to be replicated elsewhere in the country (AOL), ensuring that the creative corridor between the two cities will remain vital for years to come.
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