African Galleries Now 2023
AAGA (African Art Galleries Association) was formed in response to the need to support the growth and sustainability of contemporary art sectors in Africa in the context of the rise of international interest in contemporary art on the continent.
The gallery system is an important part of ensuring sustainability of local art sectors for several reasons: supporting critical and technical artist development as well as artist community development on the continent; preventing talent drain, as artists without exhibition opportunities on the continent look to move elsewhere; and working to build and develop local collectors, crucial to ensuring sustainability of local art scenes, diversity of art production and resistance to fluctuation of international art markets; ensuring professional treatment of artists by institutions and international counter-parties.
Many new galleries on the continent find it difficult to compete with more established international galleries and galleries in more established art sectors due to inadequate local government and collector support, shortage of investment capital as well as lack of mentoring and industry know-how.
