The AVA Gallery

The history of the AVA Gallery echoes the social, political and cultural changes that took place in South Africa. Previously known as the South African Association of Arts in the Western Cape, the AVA Gallery was rooted in the South African Fine Arts Society. This was the first organized art body in South Africa that was founded in Cape Town in 1850. 

The Society aimed to form a permanent art gallery and art library that exhibited and promoted art. An Act of Parliament then changed the SA Fine Arts Society into the South African Fine Arts Association in 1871. Their first meeting resulted in acquiring a gallery and a permanent art collection in trust for the residents of the Cape Colony. 

In 1895 the government took over the existing national art collection in trust and formed a board of trustees. This was done by means of the South African Art Gallery Act. Then in 1924, a team of architects from the Public Works Department was appointed and the South African National Gallery opening in Government Avenue in 1930.

In 1945, the Association developed into a national body, the South African Association of Arts (SAAA), after they accomplished their objective. Existing art societies all over the country were absorbed and the SAAA in the Western Cape became the headquarters for the entire region.

Renamed from the South African Fine Arts Society in late 1995, the Association for Visual Arts (AVA) became an independent and autonomous organization under the guidance of the residing Chairperson and artist, Louis Jansen Van Vuuren. Cultural interaction in the Western Cape became the primary focus of AVA.

Renovations to the building were made by Metropolitan on 35 Church Street took place in 1971. Metropolitan is South Africa’s largest financial service companies that owned the building at the time. This became home to a gallery space first utilized by the SAAA. However, the gallery was known as the Metropolitan Gallery as they sponsored the gallery space for the following 3 decades.

In 2001, Metropolitan informed AVA of its’ intent to sell the building. The AVA committee then sought a new sponsor who would hold the AVA mandate in high regard within the cultural landscape. Under the guidance of the residing Chairperson at the time, fine artist Jill Trappler, an avid arts Patron purchased the building by Hollard in 2002. The Patron, Mr. Dick Enthoven then partnered the AVA Gallery with Spier, one of South Africa’s oldest Wine Farms.

The AVA Gallery is based on membership and is dedicated to promoting contemporary visual art from paintings to photography, ceramics, installations and performances. It is the oldest non-profit art gallery in Cape Town. With exhibitions running every month, established and emerging South African artists have the opportunity to showcase their works.

AVA runs an Artreach programme in addition to hosting over 35 exhibitions annually. The programme aids talented visual artists who are disadvantaged with their art requirements. The programme was launched in the late 1980’s and has continued to fund an extensive variety of art needs; these include art materials, art tuition, art workshops, framing, studio rentals, invitations, new galleries in schools, exhibition costs, catalogue production costs and various other art related undertakings. The funds raised from the Artreach programme is administered by a sub-committee of AVA. This AVA has also sponsored emerging and established visual artists, street youth, art students, retirement homes, a sculpture peak park, entries to Biennales and various performance events.  

The AVA Gallery is currently directed by artist and curator Brenton Maart and 2017 focuses on showcasing the AVA Alumni who have previously exhibited works throughout the year at AVA Gallery. With an annual programme of 10 exhibitions, the AVA Gallery is set out to show the best works by South African artists.