South Africa has officially confirmed its place at the Venice Biennale 2026 and local curators are invited to shape the Pavilion. Applications are now open with a tight two-week deadline.
South Africa is officially headed to the Venice Art Biennale in 2026 and the call for curators is now open.
The Pavilion will mark a major moment for the country, built on the curatorial vision of the late Koyo Kouoh, the celebrated Executive Director and Chief Curator of Zeitz MOCAA. She is the first African-born woman to ever lead the Biennale, making this a powerful opportunity for SA to honour her legacy and take up space on one of the biggest platforms in global contemporary art.
The Pavilion will be produced through a new partnership model: Art Periodic South Africa (A°P) working alongside the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC), with Latitudes Online driving public visibility and storytelling. It signals a shift toward a more collaborative, sector-driven approach.
And the timeline? Tight. Very tight.
A°P has just two weeks to secure curatorial proposals and mobilise the creative sector. That means curators, collectives, galleries, organisations, anyone with the vision and capacity, are invited to submit concepts for the official South African exhibition in Venice.
This is the chance to shape how South Africa shows up in the global art conversation. To respond to Koyo’s framework, In Minor Keys. To bring nuance, care, resilience and unfiltered South African storytelling into the Arsenale.
How to apply
Curators need to submit:
- a curatorial statement (max 1 000 words)
- bios of curator(s) and proposed artist(s)
- visual references
- a preliminary budget + timeline
- organisational profile (if relevant)
Everything must be submitted via the official form on artperiodic.co.za.
Deadline: 24 November 2025 (23:59 SAST).
Why this matters
This moment is bigger than a single exhibition.
It’s about who gets to tell South Africa’s stories on the world stage and how we continue building a stronger, more inclusive art ecosystem at home.
A°P stresses that independent and emerging curators should apply. Institutional backing is not required, and if a proposal is selected, the team will help assemble partners to make it work.
This is a collective project. A sector-wide opportunity. And a rare moment to be part of something that lives far beyond 2026.
Full details of the Open Call and submission process are available now on artperiodic.co.za.
