Announcing Catalyst Residency Recipient 2025: Obinna Michael Imo

Create and Fire Station Artists’ Studios (FSAS) are delighted to announce Obinna Michael Imo as the recipient of the 2025 Catalyst Residency Award.

Obinna Michael Imo is a self-taught visual artist, graphic designer, clothing and digital designer originally from Nigeria and living in Dublin. His current work explores the power of art to engage and uplift communities, particularly the marginalised and those who may not identify as artists themselves.

Since 2018, Catalyst Residency has opened a dedicated space for Create and FSAS to work with and support artists from under-represented ethnic backgrounds. Each year, Catalyst Residency responds to the specific needs of successful candidates, offering skills and opening relevant networks across the arts sector.

The residency offers Obinna Michael the opportunity to be mentored by a range of practitioners; it is designed to enable him to step away from his everyday responsibilities and instead immerse himself in a dedicated period of reflection, mentoring, peer-to-peer conversation and strategic networking.

Obinna Michael says: “During the residency, I hope to explore how art can be a catalyst for social engagement by engaging others in dialogue about cultural perspectives, identity, community connections, traditions and histories. I also look forward to building my network, to connect with mentors who can help me continue to develop my artistic voice as an artist”.

We look forward to working with Obinna Michael over the coming months to activate the residency with him.

The residency is funded through the Arts Council of Ireland’s Artist in the Community Scheme managed by Create, and the Fire Station Artists’ Studios funded through the Visual Arts Department of the Arts Council of Ireland. The award is delivered through a Create and Fire Station Artists’ Studios partnership.