An Expanding Cultural Ecosystem; The New Galleries Joining ICTAF 2026
Cape Town has long occupied a significant position on the global cultural map — a city where art lives not only in institutions, but in streets, studios, geographies and everyday encounters. At the centre of this creative ecosystem stands the Investec Cape Town Art Fair (ICTAF), which, over thirteen years, has grown into the largest art fair on the African continent. With each edition, it has expanded not simply in scale, but in depth, purpose and community impact.
Returning from 20–22 February 2026, ICTAF enters its 13th edition under the theme ‘Listen’ — an invitation that feels both timely and deeply rooted in the fair’s ethos. To listen, after all, is to acknowledge plurality: of voices, histories, generations and artistic practices. It is also to recognise that growth is not just about numbers or foot traffic, but about fostering relationships.
Organised by Fiera Milano Exhibitions Africa (FMEA), they express in their statement of shared values, “Through Investec Cape Town Art Fair, we are committed to fostering a space that is inclusive, thoughtful and champions the values of equality and expression.” This is echoed in the fact that this year’s managing and directorial team are all women, namely Jess Wright (Manager, Marketing and Communications), Mia Louw (Manager, Galleries and Special Projects) and Laura Vincenti (Director), using their unique skills in combination to elevate this year’s offering.
Jess Wright shares, “Holding a leadership role in an art fair of this scale comes with real responsibility. Beyond delivering an exceptional experience, what matters most to me is inclusivity and creating space for a multitude of voices and perspectives, particularly those of artists, as well as the many individuals whose behind-the-scenes support makes it all possible. As a culture-shaping platform, we have a duty to reflect the world around us with intention and integrity. That also means working towards an art world that feels less intimidating and more accessible, and one that invites participation and exploration rather than any form of gatekeeping. I’m deeply proud to bring my skills, standards and values to shaping this fair and adding to the broader art ecosystem. It is a joy and a huge honour.”
That growth is unmistakable: the 2026 edition connects a selection of 126 exhibitors from 34 cities and 22 countries across 5 continents, including 490 artists. This year also marks the largest presence of galleries from cities new to the fair, including Andorra la Vella, Douala, Lugo, Lusaka, Marseille, Palermo, Santiago de Compostela, Stockholm and The Hague for the first time in ICTAF history.
In addition, the fair is expanding its footprint by extending into an additional hall at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), opening up new possibilities for exhibitors, visitors, partners and projects. Yet what continues to define ICTAF is its intimacy — its ability to function as a site of discovery, dialogue and exchange where African art histories and futures meet on an internationally recognised stage.
This year, that evolution is embodied by our selection of five galleries exhibiting at the fair for the first time. Each arrives with a distinct voice, yet all are united by a commitment to art as a communal practice — one that reflects lived realities, challenges inherited narratives, and builds cultural ecosystems across borders.
kumalo | turpin
Founded in 2025 by Zanele Kumalo and M.J. Turpin, kumalo | turpin is a young but assured contemporary art space rooted in Johannesburg’s legacy of creative resistance. Dedicated to artists from the Global Majority, the gallery foregrounds socially engaged practice, experimentation and equity. Its programme amplifies voices historically excluded from dominant art narratives, creating space for reflection and disruption at pivotal career moments. Fluidly crossing disciplines and generations, kumalo | turpin exemplifies how new institutions are shaping future-facing, globally connected platforms while remaining deeply local.
Exhibiting artists include: Sepideh Mehraban, Wim Legrand, Roger Ballen, Nathaniel Sheppard III, Boemo Diale, Ronél de Jager.
AFRONOVA GALLERY
AFRONOVA GALLERY was founded in 2005 by the late Henri Vergon and now led by Emilie Demon. The Johannesburg-based gallery has spent two decades cultivating long-term, trust-based relationships with artists across the continent and diaspora. AFRONOVA’s history is inseparable from the city itself — from Newtown’s cultural struggles to Braamfontein’s regeneration — and its philosophy rejects spectacle in favour of depth, dialogue, and intellectual rigor. Their debut at ICTAF signals a continued commitment to community-building through art.
Exhibiting artists include: Alice Mann, Mashudu Nevhutalu, Vuyo Mabheka, Gimakatso Mathopa, Sibusiso bBheka.
Everyday Lusaka Gallery
Marking Zambia’s debut at ICTAF, Everyday Lusaka brings a quietly radical proposition to the fair: that the everyday is worthy of archiving, exhibiting and celebrating. Founded by Sana Ginwalla in 2018 as an online photographic platform, the gallery has grown into a vital cultural archive documenting overlooked corners of Lusaka. Working across photography, print, and publishing, Everyday Lusaka positions image-making as an act of belonging. Their participation situates Zambian narratives within a broader continental dialogue, underscoring ICTAF’s role as a connector across the SADC region.
“With firm roots in photography and the archive, we present self-portraits by two Zambian photographers working across generations: Alick Phiri (b. 1948) and Maingaila Muvundika (b. 1999). This marks Phiri’s sophomore exhibition in South Africa and Muvundika’s debut. Their risograph prints will be exhibited in the Cabinet/Record Booth curated by Beata America, situating Everyday Lusaka among a constellation of galleries foregrounding photography in Africa. Through this debut, we look forward to positioning Zambian stories within the SADC region and across the continent.”
Exhibiting artists include: Maingaila Muvundika, Alick Phiri
Afikaris
Established in 2018 and now located in the Haut Marais, France, AFIKARIS has quickly become a key European platform for artists from Africa and its diaspora. Founded by Florian Azzopardi, the gallery champions socially engaged practices that speak to heritage, identity, and self-authorship. Through ambitious solo exhibitions, institutional collaborations, and an active residency programme, AFIKARIS fosters intercultural exchange that extends well beyond the white cube. Its first appearance at ICTAF reinforces the fair’s expanding international reach while centring African-led narratives within global art circuits.
Exhibiting artists include: Jean David Nkot, Boluwatife Oyediran, Elolo Bosoka, Hervé Yamguen
Crome Yellow M & C
Launching officially in March 2026, Crome Yellow M & C arrives at ICTAF at the very beginning of its journey. Founded by Matthew Dowdle and a team of seasoned art professionals, the Parkhurst-based gallery is built on dialogue — between African modernism, contemporary practice, and emerging forms that expand process and materiality. With community as a foundational principle, Crome Yellow M & C reflects a growing movement of galleries invested not only in representation, but in sustained cultural conversation.
Exhibiting artists include: Tracey Rose, Leonard Matsoso, Alfred Thoba, Theresa-Anne Mackintosh, Ntsako Nkuna, Yolanda Mazwana
Together, these five galleries affirm how the Investec Cape Town Art Fair has evolved into far more than a commercial platform. ICTAF has become a living cultural ecosystem — one shaped by listening, by care, and by sustained exchange across geographies and generations. The presence of new voices from Johannesburg, Lusaka, Paris and beyond signals not only expansion, but intention: a commitment to nurturing practices that are rooted, rigorous and responsive to lived realities.
As ICTAF enters its 13th edition, its strength lies in this growing constellation of relationships — between artists and galleries, cities and diasporas, histories and futures. In making space for dialogue rather than dominance, and community rather than spectacle, the fair continues to redefine what an African-led global art fair can be. As Maya Angelou reminds us, “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” At ICTAF 2026, that abundance is not only visible — it is shared.
Written by Grace Crooks