Johannesburg’s Shepstone Gardens is set to bloom again with contemporary art when RMB Latitudes Art Fair returns on May 22-24 2026. Now in its fourth edition, the fair has quietly earned a reputation for offering something different: an art fair that feels less like a marketplace and more like a thoughtfully curated encounter with African creativity.
“At RMB Latitudes, we are committed to expanding equitable access to markets and creating meaningful opportunities for artists to connect with new audiences,” says Lucy MacGarry, co-founder and director of Latitudes. “Our priority is, and always has been, to put artists first — centring their voices, supporting their long-term visibility, and building pathways for sustainable practice.”
That ethos shapes every aspect of the fair, from the carefully designed indoor and outdoor spaces to the way works are presented. Walking through the terraced gardens, visitors can linger over pieces without feeling rushed, moving between galleries and installations with the ease of a museum visit rather than a traditional fair.
This year, the spotlight turns to Nigeria, highlighting one of Africa’s most energetic and diverse creative landscapes. Latitudes doesn’t simply showcase a country for the weekend; it builds relationships in advance, connecting with artists, curators, and galleries in their own contexts.
“Through the Focus programme, we build genuine relationships on the ground,” explains Boitumelo Makousu from the Latitudes team. “By working within each country first — meeting artists, curators and galleries in their own contexts — we create presentations that feel collaborative and sustained rather than extractive. Nigeria has a powerful creative community, and we’re excited to deepen those exchanges and bring that energy into the fair.”
The theme for 2026, Oasis, feels particularly apt. Johannesburg, a city founded without a major water source, has long been a place of unlikely flourishing. The fair uses the metaphor of water to reflect how creativity sustains and regenerates life even in unexpected places. “The fair embraces Johannesburg’s spirit of resilience and renewal, affirming the arts’ capacity to nourish, connect and reimagine the cultural landscape,” says curator and head of sales Denzo Nyathi. Surrounded by the gardens’ quiet green terraces, it’s easy to imagine the fair as its own oasis within the urban landscape.
RMB Latitudes has consistently blurred the line between commercial platform and cultural experience. Its model prioritises meaningful engagement over mere spectacle, giving both emerging and established artists the chance to connect with audiences in a way that feels personal, lasting and grounded. With the 2026 edition, featuring Nigerian voices and the Oasis theme, the fair promises once again to be a place where contemporary African art can breathe, surprise and endure.
Early bird tickets are available from March 11 at R320.
