RMB Latitudes Art Fair 2026: Oasis of Contemporary African Art in Johannesburg

RMB Latitudes Art Fair 2026 returns to Shepstone Gardens from 22–24 May 2026 for its fourth edition, reaffirming its position as a leading platform for contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora. The Fair continues to define itself through a distinctive model that prioritises exchange, sustainability, and long-term visibility, bringing together artists, galleries, and cultural partners in an environment designed for meaningful engagement with contemporary art.

Set within the historic terraced gardens and architecture of Shepstone Gardens, the Fair presents an immersive alternative to conventional art fair formats. Its indoor and outdoor exhibition spaces are carefully structured to balance the intimacy of a curated exhibition with the professional standards and museum-grade presentation associated with major international fairs. This duality has become central to the identity of RMB Latitudes, positioning it as both an “oasis-like” experience and a commercially robust art fair.

“At RMB Latitudes, we are committed to expanding equitable access to markets and creating meaningful opportunities for artists to connect with new audiences,” says Lucy MacGarry. “Our priority is, and always has been, to put artists first – centring their voices, supporting their long-term visibility, and building pathways for sustainable practice. RMB Latitudes reimagines how the art ecosystem can work more inclusively, for artists and for the wider cultural community.”

The 2026 edition deepens its continental scope through a focused engagement with Nigeria, highlighting one of Africa’s most dynamic creative ecosystems. The initiative continues the Fair’s emphasis on cross-continental dialogue and sustained, in-country collaboration rather than one-off national showcases.

“RMB is committed to helping to build a sustainable art economy across Africa and strengthening cultural development,” says Alison Badenhorst. “With a strong presence on the continent, we can bridge markets, drive engagement and support artists, curators, collectors and audiences to reach new local and global opportunities. Through RMB Latitudes, we aim to unlock talent and enable creativity to thrive.”

The Nigeria Focus programme reflects a longer-term methodology in which the Fair works directly within participating countries before the event itself. In 2025, similar engagement in Botswana culminated in a sold-out presentation in Johannesburg and the development of new collector relationships for participating artists and galleries. The model emphasises sustained exchange, with local partnerships that extend beyond exhibition outcomes.

“Through the Focus programme, we build genuine relationships on the ground,” says Boitumelo Makousu. “By working within each country first – meeting artists, curators and galleries in their own contexts – we create presentations that feel collaborative and sustained rather than extractive. Nigeria has a powerful creative community, and we’re excited to deepen those exchanges and bring that energy into the Fair.”

The 2026 theme, Oasis, frames the Fair’s curatorial lens as a reflection on creative flourishing in unlikely conditions. Marking 140 years of Johannesburg, the theme draws attention to a city founded without access to a major body of water, yet one that continues to sustain cultural and artistic life through resilience and reinvention. Creativity, in this framing, is understood as both sustaining force and regenerative system.

“The Fair embraces Johannesburg’s spirit of resilience and renewal, affirming the arts’ capacity to nourish, connect and reimagine the cultural landscape,” says Denzo Nyathi. “It also draws inspiration from the gardens that host the Fair each year – a carefully tended pocket of green within an urban context.”

Across its programming, exhibitions, and international focus, RMB Latitudes Art Fair 2026 continues to position itself as an evolving platform for contemporary African art, where dialogue, exchange, and sustained collaboration are placed at the centre of the fair experience. Collaborators and audiences alike are invited into a setting that reflects on how creative energy is not only found, but nurtured and sustained, in unexpected environments.