Media release

• Zeitz MOCAA and the University of the Western Cape (UWC) welcome third cohort of fellows to Cape Town

• Five fellows from across the African continent are participating in the 12-month study programme and earn a postgraduate degree from UWC on its completion

• The museum fellowship programme is supported by the Mellon Foundation

…

(Cape Town, Tuesday, 28 May 2024): This past February, Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) and the University of the Western Cape (UWC) welcomed five
fellows from across the African continent to participate in the third year of the Zeitz MOCAA & UWC Museum Fellowship Programme. The pan-African museum fellowship programme encourages discourse around contemporary art, curatorial practice, art education, conservation, heritage and museology from Africa and the African diaspora.

The 2024 cohort includes Algerian curator Yasmina Ali Yahia; curator Angela Muritu from Nairobi, Kenya; Angolan curator and cultural producer Edna Bettencourt; Congolese-born curator and researcher Kakule Chadrack; and artist and curator Abbey IT-A from Ghana.

“It gives me great joy to introduce the 2024 cohort. As an active agent that caters to and nurtures society, Zeitz MOCAA is proud to once again join hands with the University of the Western Cape to nurture the growth of this new generation of art and museum professionals from across the continent,” says Koyo Kouoh, Executive Director and Chief Curator at Zeitz MOCAA.

The programme endeavours to increase knowledge production around curatorial practice, arts administration and heritage management. It offers fellows exposure to museum practice facilitated by Zeitz MOCAA senior staff and is underpinned by academic rigour in art, heritage and museum scholarship facilitated by the University of the Western Cape’s Department of Historical Studies. Fellows study and work with both institutions towards an accredited BA Honours qualification.

“UWC’s innovative and engaging curriculum coupled with the first-hand experience and insight gained at a world-class museum such as Zeitz MOCAA, offer fellows a rich exploration of the fundamental networks and systems that contribute towards the continent’s art and heritage ecosystem,” says Professor Rory Bester, Associate Professor in the Department of Historical Studies at UWC and Co-convenor of the Zeitz MOCAA & UWC Museum Fellowship Programme.

Fellows will gain practical work experience at Zeitz MOCAA in the Curatorial, Registrar & Collection Management, Exhibition Design, Art Education, and Institutional Advancement departments. After an initial orientation and rotation period within the various departments, each member of the cohort is now well settled in their respective departments since 1 May.

They actively contribute to the research, planning, execution and management of Zeitz MOCAA projects, ranging from exhibitions, publishing and public programming to art education and fundraising. This year, the cohort’s project is the Zeitz MOCAA Atelier residency programme where a Cape Town-based artist takes residency in the museum for an eight-month period to create new work, conduct research and develop ideas for future projects. The one-year programme will culminate with an Atelier-focused public programming initiative led by the 2024 cohort, in close collaboration with the museum team and the artist.

Zeitz MOCAA and UWC are also pleased to announce the open call for the 2025 Museum Fellowship Programme, inviting aspiring contemporary art and museum professionals in Africa to join this transformative year-long journey. The closing date for applications is 30 June 2024. Only the first 100 applications will be considered. Successful applications will be
contacted by 5 August 2024. Visit our website for more information on the programme by clicking here.

Follow @zeitzmocaa on social media or visit us at zeitzmocaa.museum to track the journey of the 2024 Zeitz MOCAA & UWC Museum Fellowship Cohort. The Zeitz MOCAA & UWC Museum Fellowship Programme is generously supported by the Mellon Foundation.

//ends

Please find full biographies and further information on the 2024 Zeitz MOCAA & University of the Western Cape (UWC) Museum Fellows here. For media enquiries, contact Evaan Jason Ferreira at evaanjason.ferreira@zeitzmocaa.museum.

Issued by Zeitz MOCAA Communications department.

About Zeitz MOCAA

Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) is a public not-for-profit institution that collects, preserves, researches and exhibits contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora; conceives and hosts international exhibitions; develops supporting educational, discursive and enrichment programmes; encourages intercultural understanding; and strives towards access for all. The museum’s galleries feature rotating temporary exhibitions with a dedicated space for the permanent collection. The institution also includes the Centre for Art Education, the Centre for the Moving Image and The Atelier, a museum residency programme for artists living and working in Cape Town.

Zeitz MOCAA, situated at the Silo District, South Arm Road, V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, South Africa, is open Monday through Sunday, 10 am to 6 pm (last entry at 5.30 pm). zeitzmocaa.museum

About the University of the Western Cape

The University of the Western Cape (UWC) was founded in 1960 and occupies a unique space in the South African higher education landscape. It is a dynamic institution committed to excellence in learning, teaching, research and innovation in a globally competitive environment whilst remaining true to the values and ethos that have shaped its identity as a university rooted in serving the public good. uwc.ac.za

About The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is the United States’ largest supporter of the arts and humanities. Since 1969, the Foundation has been guided by its core belief that the humanities and arts are essential to human understanding. The Foundation believes that the arts and humanities are where we express our complex humanity and that everyone deserves the beauty, transcendence and freedom that can be found there. Through our grants, we seek to build just communities enriched by meaning and empowered by critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive. Learn more at mellon.org.