The Fair
7-9 August 2026 KwaZulu-Natal’s vibrant visual art and design ecosystem is poised to retain talent, sustain momentum, and grow the creative industry. The KZN Art Fair at Hilton Arts Festival will connect galleries with talent and new markets, creating sustainable careers for both emerging and established artists.
“We’re excited to bring contemporary art to what is essentially an unexplored frontier of the art market on the east coast of South Africa, and by doing so be a vehicle from which this market is explored and maintained." — Lungelo Mkhize, co-founder.
This new KZN-based fair complements other national fairs (RMB Latitudes Art Fair, Investec Cape Town Art Fair, FNB Art Joburg) and marks a historic first for the province as a critical intersection for its diverse creative communities and contributors, catalysing a dynamic local sector.
“There are already many thriving practitioners, collectives, a dynamic incubator gallery, and eager collectors. The KZN Art Fair is the organic result of abundant content and a clear demand for creative industry growth in KZN.”
— Angela Shaw, co-founder
Set in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands at Hilton College, the inaugural KZN Art Fair joins the 2026 Hilton Arts Festival, now in its 34th year. The Midlands Meander region is a premier creative hub, with cultural anchors like the Nelson Mandela Capture Site Museum, and Ardmore Ceramic Studios. The UNESCO Creative City designation for Howick (Craft & Folklore) elevates regional craft development and tourism.
Hilton College’s Memorial Hall will host the art fair, with booths in the main hall and classrooms flanking a courtyard cafe and a lecture theatre for talks. As the proud venue partner of the Hilton Art Festival since its inception in 1993, Hilton College is heralded for the high-quality education it delivers, and prides itself on the community of internationally based, progressive, highly skilled alumni it has nurtured.
The Hilton Arts Festival’s prominence - attracting nearly 25,000 visitors annually and earning national and international acclaim - provides an ideal launchpad for this new fair. The festival’s renowned performing arts, Jongosi Youth Programme, and now an elevated visual art experience amplify the occasion.
Visitors to the art fair will encounter a curated programme celebrating KZN’s dynamic visual arts and design scene, alongside national and continental work. Galleries representing career artists, and booths highlighting KZN design, will be complemented by a robust events and education programme with talks, panel discussions, workshops, book launches, and discourse opportunities.
Co-founders of the KZN Art Fair Lungelo Mkhize and Angela Shaw bring deep sector experience. Mkhize’s management, logistics and art handling background (Section 9; Stevenson Gallery; Atelier 4, Miami) complements Shaw’s 35 years of curatorship, exhibition making, and her operations experience during her tenure as Executive Director of KZNSA Gallery 2014-2025. Shaw’s academic focus on sustainability in the creative sector (Honours in Curatorship; Masters in Curatorial Public and Visual Practice) also informs programming and curatorial direction. Together, they provide strong logistics, site management, stakeholder and arts community liaison, and engaging programming for the Fair.