Contra Joburg 2025: All About This Radical Contemporary Art Festival

The 4th edition of Contra Joburg, running from 30 to 31 August 2025, seeks to redefine how contemporary art is seen, experienced, and shared. Right from the start, this concept art festival in Johannesburg has always been about breaking down barriers, bringing artists and audiences into direct dialogue, and fostering a sense of pride and ownership of the city.

In 2025, Contra offers an even more immersive journey into Johannesburg’s dynamic art scene, highlighting culture’s vital role in shaping our lives. Here, art is not static or incredibly polished; it is alive, unbridled, and in constant conversation. Visitors are invited to witness the process as much as the product, engaging with the raw energy of creation. Read on to find out more.

Contra Joburg art festival in Johannesburg | What's on in Joburg

The Contra Joburg 2025 festival theme: What if art interrupts you?

Contra.Joburg is founded on the belief that culture should be encountered, not confined. The 2025 programme builds on this ethos, placing artists at the heart of the festival, welcoming the public into genuine working spaces, and offering real access to Johannesburg’s cultural pulse.

Each studio opened, wall transformed, and conversation sparked is a deliberate step towards reviving Johannesburg’s urban energy as an active player in the creative process.

“This year’s programme is about embracing the unexpected,” says Festival Founder, Sara Hallatt. “Every artist, every location, and every moment has been chosen for its capacity to surprise — to create something that could only happen here and now.”

See the featured open studios

Saturday 30 August | 10:00am–5pm

Studios open this day include:

Asisebenze Art Gallery – Gallery & coffee shop (Street parking only)
Bag Factory – Artist studios, gallery & drinks (Street parking only)
EspressOn – Live music, food, drinks & gallery (Street parking only)
Play Braamfontein – Studios, drinks & food (Street parking only)
Rand Club – Gallery, live music, food & drinks (Street parking only)
Creative Uprising Hub @Transwerke – Studios (Underground secure parking)
Stephan Welz & Co – Exhibition (Underground secure parking here)

Sunday 31 August from 10:00am to 5pm

Studios open this day include:

Asisebenze – Artist studios & drinks (Underground secure parking)
August House – Gallery, studios, food & drinks (Underground parking available here)
Ellis House – Gallery, studios & drinks (Street parking only)
Living Artists Emporium – Gallery & drinks (Secure parking)
Oovookoo – Gallery, studios & drinks (Street parking only)
Victoria Yards – Gallery, studios, food & drinks (Street parking only)
Stephan Welz & Co – Exhibition (Underground secure parking here)

Deeper impact for Joburg’s art community

Since its launch, Contra.Joburg has facilitated nearly R3-million in direct art sales, enabling working artists to grow their practices while offering access to both new and seasoned collectors.

This year’s edition continues in that vein through a new partnership with Africa Collect. The offer makes collecting art more accessible than ever, enabling buyers to pay for artworks over 12 months.

In collaboration with Stephan Welz & Company (SWELCO), the festival charts new routes from suburb to city, street to luxury. SWELCO will present the Vintage Vanguard exhibition, with its Waverley office serving as a convenient park-and-ride hub.

Joburg’s civic champions at Jozi My Jozi are also involved in the festival this year to help forge connections between art and daily life across Johannesburg. Since launch, the initiative has driven nearly R3 million in direct art sales, fuelling the city’s creative economy and helping artists and collectors alike to grow.

Need to know before you go

A complimentary shuttle service will run throughout the day, looping between venues every 20 minutes. Parking is available at each site, with shuttle access from every stop.

Cost: R120pp for single-day passes, R200pp for a weekend pass. All kids under 18 enter free. Book via Quicket