The Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art (YSMA) at Pan-Atlantic University (PAU) has hosted its inaugural residency under TheMuseumsLab fellowship, welcoming two cultural professionals from the United Kingdom and Uganda for a week of professional exchange.
The residency, which took place from September 13 through 19, 2026, marks a milestone in YSMA’s international engagement following its admission earlier this year into TheMuseumsLab Partner Museums Network.
The network connects 66 museums and cultural institutions across 21 countries in Africa and Europe.
The participants for this initial residency include Jessica Juckes, British Art Network Manager at Tate, and Jim Joel Nyakaana, a Ugandan artist, photographer, curator, and researcher associated with the Page 4 Cinema Archive. Their programme featured guided engagements with the YSMA collection, discussions with university leadership, an artist studio visit, and meetings with local cultural organisations.
The fellows also facilitated a workshop for Pan-Atlantic University undergraduate students focusing on photography, digital storytelling, editorial practice, and public installations. Nyakaana noted that the museum’s position within a university environment creates unique possibilities for direct engagement with learning and research. Juckes added that the experience offered valuable insight into understanding the institution through its surrounding relationships and local context.
Solomon Nkwagu, Head of Corporate Communication and Visitors’ Services at YSMA and lead facilitator of the residency, stated that hosting the programme allowed the museum to place its practice within a wider international conversation and open its collection to new perspectives.
The residency aligns with TheMuseumsLab’s broader initiative to strengthen professional collaboration between cultural institutions across Africa and Europe. YSMA, recognised previously by Apollo Magazine, continues to serve as a platform for public engagement and cross-cultural dialogue within Nigeria’s academic and creative sectors.
•Featured image from left: Glory Okwara – Administrative Officer, YSMA, Jess Castellote;Director, YSMA, Jessica Juckes (UK);TheMuseumsLab 2026 Fellow, Jim Joel Nyakaana (Uganda); TheMuseumsLab 2026 Fellow, and Solomon Nkwagu; Head of Corporate Communication and Visitors’ Services, YSMA.