As the art world, once again, prepares to turn its gaze towards Johannesburg for a moment that defines contemporary African art, FNB Art Joburg is proud to announce that the fair is returning for its 19th edition.
This year’s fair will take place from Friday 4 September to Sunday 6 September 2026 at the Sandton Convention Centre, coinciding with Johannesburg’s 140th birthday.
FNB Art Joburg has become the summit of the continent’s art pilgrimage; a gathering where artists, galleries, collectors and cultural producers converge to engage with work that shapes how Africa sees itself and how the world sees Africa. At its core, the fair is built as a layered ecosystem that mirrors the breadth, complexity and vitality of the continent’s cultural production.
“We are incredibly proud of our longstanding partnership with FNB Art Joburg,” says FNB. “Watching the fair grow into one of Africa’s most important contemporary art platforms has been inspiring. For us, this partnership reflects a fundamental belief that we hold, that when creativity is nurtured and given room to thrive, it can unlock opportunity, foster connection and drive meaningful societal change.”
Each section exists to provide multiple points of entry into art and its ideas. Together, they reflect FNB Art Joburg’s role as a living space that educates, connects and nurtures audiences while sustaining the commercial ecosystem that allows artists to thrive.
“Johannesburg has always been a place where ambition meets possibility; where artists, entrepreneurs, thinkers and communities arrive carrying different histories and leave having built something entirely new.
It is a city propelled by movement, sustained by inquiry and shaped by people willing to imagine beyond what already exists. That restless energy has made Johannesburg one of the continent’s great cultural engines, and it remains the reason FNB Art Joburg continues to call this city home,” says fair director Mandla Sibeko.
Running in parallel with the fair, Open City returns from 20 August to 14 September 2026, in partnership with Brand South Africa.
The initiative transforms Johannesburg into an extended exhibition, connecting art, music, fashion, design, food and performances across the city.
An access bridge into the fair, Open City, demonstrates that what FNB Art Joburg does extends beyond the convention floor because it prioritises the entire city and its cultural workers, keeping Johannesburg’s cultural heart beating.
