Cape Town observed 13th edition of the Investec Cape Town Art Fair. Five emerging creatives from the Emerging Artist Programme (EAP) of the Community, Arts and Culture Development (CACD) Department, showcased their work. They gained valuable exposure while learning from leading industry experts.
Reportedly, this year’s Investec Cape Town Art Fair took place from Friday, February 20, 2026 to Sunday, February 22, 2026 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). Department, within the Community Services and Health Directorate, has recently held a workshop for the artists whose works were displayed.
Welcomes Over Hundreds of Exhibitors
The Investec Cape Town Art Fair is the largest international contemporary art fair on the African continent and gives collectors, galleries, curators and artists an opportunity to connect. The 13th edition, supported by the City of Cape Town, featured 126 exhibitors from 34 global cities that showcased the work of over 490 artists.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Community Services and Health – Councillor Francine Higham stated that the City of Cape Town is proud to support the emerging artists and will give them a global platform to showcase their talents. It also allows them to foster cultural innovation by nurturing diverse and new talent. The EAP provides early-career artists with an invaluable opportunity to hone their skills and network with others in the art world.
‘Debut’ – the third EAP Booth
The EAP of the City of Cape Town supports under-resourced artists in the early stages of their careers by providing training, mentorship, networking opportunities and exhibition platforms. Further, EAP also joined the fair as an educational partner to support professional learning, industry exposure and meaningful engagement with industry role players. The third instalment of the EAP booth was titled as ‘Debut’, with each of the five artists presenting their first ever art fair.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Safety and Security – Alderman JP Smith stated that during this run, the art fair welcomed around 30,000 visitors who not only got an opportunity to view the artwork on exhibition but also got to explore some of Cape Town’s public galleries and tourism offerings.
Contribution to local economy of CT Art Fair
City of Cape Town is proud of its association with the Cape Town Art Fair over the last decade and for its contribution to the local economy as well as elevating the status of African artwork to the global stage. This Debut offered a unique opportunity to experience new voices in the art world, working across a range of mediums and styles.
Each artist brought their individual vision and fresh perspective to the forefront, created a dynamic collection that spans diverse themes, techniques and approaches. Debut showcased the innovation and versatility that define the next generation of artists. From hyper realism charcoal, oil on board, urban mixed medium, hand beaded textile sculpture, to ink drawings, it consisted of them all.
Artists to Exhibit
Fatiema Wards from Lotus River works on bridal gowns, she made to hire in the 90’s adding abstractive beading, almost organic spreading over the satin and lace. The dress evolves into something new, that countless brides have worn it and now it stands on its own, new and unique again.
Ricardo Nieuwoudt’s miniature paintings capture moments, memories and observations the artist experiences in his day. In the evening, Ricardo, who is from Delft, paints from memory of who he has seen in the day. The scale represents how these moments can often be missed unless they pause to appreciate it.
Yonela Nsimbi’s portraits are people in his community of Strand. A focus on hyper realism, Yonela captures a quiet moment of emotion from his subject influenced by the background, that can almost be heard.
From Zonnebloem comes Lona Ndzimande whose portraits gaze back at you, enlarged eyes, elaborate beading and colourful fabric. The gaze is on the viewer in contrast to the gaze many women experience in the real world and on social media.
The drawings of Juan-Ridge Isaacs from Rugby are technical and illustrated. The youngest of the group, he experiments with ink drawings, defining his own unique hand.