Their approach to community engagement focuses on the art first, letting other conversations emerge naturally.

"It's not a radical activist platform," Aldo explains. "It's more like an engaging activist platform. We want people to connect with the art, and if that opens up conversations, that's valuable."

One of their most successful projects was the community-focused Purple Mountain Heritage Festival held during Heritage Month last year - an entirely self-funded labour of love.

With no financial backing they curated a vibrant programme featuring art, photography, ceramics, live music and discussions on indigenous herbs and medicine, all hosted in their home-turned-gallery.

The festival also included film screenings, human libraries, and walking tours to explore indigenous flora.

One of Carl’s favourite elements was sharing food made with indigenous ingredients - turning the event into a true celebration of culture, connection and community.

"Our approach is about making everything as inclusive as possible," Carl says. "We had a heritage festival last year which was very successful, and we made it as inclusive as possible - race representation, class representation, sexual orientation, gender diversities."

True to their socialist values, they ensure all events remain free. "Our events are for free," Carl explains, "because we know that in many societies entry fee is a barrier to access and it is deliberately used to keep poor folk and black folk out."

The residency has also become a space where overlooked histories find voice. One artist uncovered that William Porter, the town's namesake, had a 40-year relationship with another man. "This was an important discovery," Carl shares, "and the artist used this to spark a conversation about the people whose stories aren't written down in history."

Aldo continues: "We're also living in post-apartheid South Africa, and the effects of apartheid are still very visible.

"Our residency has a multi-pronged approach - it interrogates what it means to be a contemporary South African, and artists here need to be able to engage in those dialogues."

Despite the residency’s success, it operates largely out of Aldo and Carl’s own pockets, driven by passion rather than profit. An anonymous benefactor partly funds two residencies per year, but to sustain and expand this safe, creative space, additional support is essential.

"We are completely not funded," Carl admits. "We have an anonymous benefactor who funds two formal residents per year, but many of our events, like the Heritage Festival, are funded out of our own pockets. It's challenging, but we're committed to this."

The future holds exciting prospects. This April, they'll host six film-makers from across Africa and Canada, their biggest residency yet. These activists and aspiring filmmakers, coming from places like Tanzania, Ghana, and Burkina Faso, will use their mobile phones to tell their stories during their month-long stay.