FNB Art Joburg 2025: What to See and Do

Africa’s longest-running contemporary art fair, FNB Art Joburg, returns for its 18th consecutive year at the Sandton Convention Centre from 5 to 7 September 2025. The fair promises to immerse visitors in the very best of the continent’s art, artists, and galleries, celebrating Africa’s creative excellence.

Since its inception, Art Joburg has brought together artists, galleries, collectors, writers, thinkers and enthusiasts. This year’s edition features a packed programme of contemporary culture, including Open City (28 August – 11 September).

“Johannesburg is more than a city; it is the African continent’s cultural engine. As a platform rooted and invested in Africa’s culture networks, our role as FNB Art Joburg is to champion the ideas, practices and partnerships that sustain contemporary African art. We are proud to contribute to an economy where culture is not a byproduct, but a driver of growth, imagination and possibility,” says FNB Art Joburg managing director, Mandla Sibeko.

Here’s what to look forward to at FNB Art Joburg 2025

gallery HUB – The best of contemporary Pan-African art

The Fair’s central section is a curated space that showcases the very best in contemporary African art alongside significant international contributions. Reflecting the Fair’s ethos of prioritising quality over quantity, this section brings together leading galleries whose artists shape conversations across the continent and beyond.

Visitors can look forward to discovering thought-provoking work from respected exhibitors including BKhz, blank, Eclectica Contemporary, Everard Read, First Floor Gallery Harare, Gallery MOMO, Goodman Gallery, Kalashnikovv, Stevenson, and Afriart Gallery.

FNB Art Joburg art fair in Johannesburg | What's on in Joburg

gallery LAB – Forward thinking works to keep on your radar

This experimental section sets the stage for emerging and mid-level galleries with a space to explore new approaches, challenge conventions and connect with broader audiences.

The 2025 Gallery LAB exhibitors include 16/16, Modzi Arts Gallery, ORA LOAPI, Wunika Mukan Gallery, Windsor Gallery, Galerie Malabo, Kianda Contemporary Art Project, The Space Ethiopia, Koko TEN, kumalo | turpin, Rangi Gallery, Forster-Gallery Zanzibar, Citizen Projects, Yenwa and Village UNHU.

MAX – Elaborate and out-of-the-box installations

Think ambitious, large-scale installations and artworks that extend beyond the limits of a conventional gallery booth for Gallery MAX at FNB Art Joburg. This space allows artists and galleries to showcase pieces that demand more room whether through size, scale, or immersive presence.

ETC – Explore books, prints and rare publications

The Reading Room is a hub for books, prints, catalogues and zines celebrating contemporary African art. Featuring Artist Proof Studios, Jonathan Ball/Exclusive Books, Loft Editions, Fresco Gallery, ArtThrob, Pulp Paper Works, iwalewa books and the BMW Reading Lounge, it’s the perfect space to discover, learn and be inspired.

ORG – The spotlight is on museums and art centres

At this year’s FNB Art Joburg, a dedicated section reimagines how the public connects with art-centred organisations such as museums, universities and private cultural institutions. Rather than viewing these bodies from a distance, visitors are invited to engage directly through a dynamic, hands-on approach.

Audiences will be able to explore ideas, projects and conversations presented by leading organisations Visiting organisations include Exhibition Match, a project that blurs the boundaries between football and art, the Zeitz MOCAA from Cape Town, and the DIKAN Centre from Accra, Ghana.

AUX – Settle in for screenings, talks and special lectures

The Talks & Ideas programme connect leading voices from the art world directly to the public. Through engaging talks, screenings, public lectures and audio essays. The lineup includes a wide range of topics shaping contemporary art today, gaining insight into critical debates, emerging trends and the ideas driving Africa’s creative landscape. Full programme to be released soon.

GIF – A charged curation of film and photography works

Here you can experience innovative works by artists working in dynamic mediums such as compelling photographic series to immersive film projects. FNB Art Joburg’s GIF platform highlights creative storytelling and visual experimentation, offering audiences a unique perspective on contemporary African art through the lens of image-making and moving picture.