ART AFRICA magazine was founded in 2002 by visionary cultural advocates Suzette and Brendon Bell-Roberts.
ART AFRICA has actively contributed to contemporary Global South art discourse as a catalyst for dialogue and exchange, fostering connections between curators, artists, collectors, academics, and enthusiasts worldwide. Its commitment to promoting a deeper understanding of the multifaceted nature of art from the Global South has solidified its place as a vital resource within the global art community.
ART AFRICA magazine stands as a testament to the transformative power of art and culture, catalysing change and a beacon of hope for a more inclusive and equitable future. ART AFRICA‘s mission is to challenge historical narratives and stereotypes that have marginalised the voices of artists from the Global South. We highlight the richness and diversity of African, diasporic and Global South cultures, foster cross-cultural dialogue, and forge connections that transcend borders.
ART AFRICA seeks to actively support individuals and projects that positively impact societies and the environment in an ever-changing world. Additionally, we significantly recognise the artists leveraging their success to establish institutions that support their direct communities and invest in the youth and their future.
Our extensive global network and decades of media reportage have allowed us to forge strategic partnerships with the leading biennales and events championing African and diaspora art in the Global South, including long-standing media partnerships with the Sharjah Biennale and foundation, the Manaar Light Festival, Bamako Biennale, Dakar Biennale, Lubumbashi Biennale, Congo Biennale, São Paulo Biennale, Casablanca Biennale, Dream City- Tunisia, Ozange Biennnel of photography, Lagos Photo Biennale, Lagos Biennale, Kampala Biennale.
ART AFRICA‘s strategic partnerships are central to our mission to constantly present new work from emerging markets while investing in regions in the Global South and the Middle East that recognise the importance of cultural development and its impact on shaping the future.
Suzette and Brendon Bell-Roberts, the driving forces behind ART AFRICA, epitomise dedication to their cause. Based between Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa, they oversee the magazine and the ART AFRICA Foundation and COMMUNITY residencies by ART AFRICA, further solidifying their commitment to nurturing artistic talent and fostering cultural exchange.
Art Testimonials
Importantly Art Africa is the only publication that we can proudly take abroad and use to introduce and gain further exposure for art and artists of our country. As such it serves as valuable ambassadorial ‘cultural ammunition’ to showcase our artistic production and emergent creative industries. I believe that they should be widely circulated internationally, as well as nationally and locally. Copies of the publication also become important reference documentation and contribute to a valuable and necessary archive. Where numerous other arts publications have withered and disappeared Art Africa has miraculously survived – this in itself is testament to its worth and evidences its value within the sector.
Dominic Thorburn
Art Africa, the premier contemporary art journal in South Africa, is the window on South African art for the rest of the world — and has been since its launching in 2002. From where I sit in the U.S., I’m convinced that the wider art communities – museums & galleries, art schools & libraries, collectors, critics, artists – want to know what’s happening on the South African art scene. The feature essays in Art Africa provide valuable viewpoints, and the exhibition reviews keep us current on younger, up-and-coming artists. Art Africa offers a ready-made vehicle of cultural diplomacy.
Janet Stanley
Art Africa’s audience is diverse and reaches across both secondary and tertiary education levels, academic and popular readerships. It is a sought after marker of contemporary visual arts and cross-disciplinary work in South Africa (and across the African continent) by international tertiary institutions, galleries, museums and cultural organisations. If one is looking for a barometer for contemporary visual arts and cross-disciplinary work in Africa then Art Africa provides such an instrument. Furthermore, it is a publication that has managed to sustain high levels of journalistic and design excellence and has become an acknowledged source of in-depth information in its field.
David Andrew
