The AVA is a non-profit, membership based art organisation whose aim is the advancement of visual art.
Featured work: Adelheid Frackiewicz, Down the Line, 2025
6 - 16 August
Heat is an exciting winter arts festival set in Cape Town's City Centre. It is brimming with art exhibitions across 13 galleries and museums. They are all curated to align with the festival theme: Other Worlding.
Explore their programme of live music, jazz and opera, an unmissable theatre programme, raucous stand-up comedy, and cutting-edge digital artworks - all featured in venues within walking distance of each other.
2025 HEAT Winter Arts Festival
A LONG AND REMARKABLE LEGACY
Dating back to 1850, the AVA is the oldest nonprofit gallery in Cape Town with the mission to advance contemporary art and artists.
The AVA is committed to being the most accessible professional gallery space for emerging and independent artists to exhibit and develop their work.
CURRENT EXHIBITIONS
A LIVING ARCHIVE
Discover AVA’s digital archive. Five decades of our archives are available online, for public access and research.
Seeking to add to your collection?
Jeannette Unite, ANATOMY OF A MINE, 2024
Browse our general catalogue featuring a curated selection of available artworks from our past exhibitions, available to purchase. For sales inquiries, contact admin@ava.co.za
Swain Hoogervorst, Karoo Landscape 10, 2025 (detail)
Nina Turok Shapiro, A Special Occasion I, 2025
PAST PROJECTS:
NEXXUS (2023)
Sonya Rademeyer, Franco Prinsloo, Caroline Sohie
iQhiya Panel at the AVA.
Uncovering a discourse centred on the voices of black women.
FOLLOW OUR JOURNEY ON INSTAGRAM
Supporting emerging and established artists of South Africa
From our annual open call, we curate up to 28 exhibitions per year at our gallery space at 35 Church Street. Principles of experimentation, collaboration and shared decision making are at the heart of the AVA.
