Partners
Co-founder | Norval Foundation
Norval Foundation is a centre for art and cultural expression, dedicated to the research, education and exhibition of 20th- and 21st-century visual art from Africa and its diaspora. Located in the Steenberg area of Cape Town, adjacent to Table Mountain National Park, the Norval Foundation combines the experience of art with an appreciation for nature. The Sculpture Garden, Learning centre, outdoor amphitheatre, purpose-built exhibition spaces and research library are situated in a unique setting that offers visitors a multisensory experience. We aim to make art widely accessible to local and international visitors by creating a self-sustaining centre for art. We achieve this by creating high-quality exhibitions and facilitating an extensive education programme through our Learning centre.
The Norval Foundation Learning Centre is an investment into the South African youth where we aim to educate through art. The Centre exists to provide the practical tools for learners to develop their creative thinking, interpretation and problem-solving skills to learn self-expression and the confidence that comes with it. These skills, in turn, inspire and empower learners to make better life decisions.
The Norval family founded Norval Foundation, a registered not-for-profit organization, in 2018. Their ongoing aim is to make art widely available to the public through the creation a self-sustaining centre for art. The proceeds from capital donations are used to secure the Foundation for future generations.
Co-founder | Sovereign Art Foundation
The Sovereign Art Foundation (SAF) is a charitable organisation that was founded in 2003 with a well-defined twin focus: to recognise, support, and promote contemporary art talent, and to bring the proven benefits of expressive arts to disadvantaged children.
In the same year, SAF launched The Sovereign Asian Art Prize, now recognised as the most established and prestigious annual art award in Asia-Pacific. In 2021, SAF co-founded a new prize in Africa and launched another In Portugal. The Prizes aim to increase the international exposure of regional artists, whilst raising funds by selling shortlisted artworks and sharing proceeds equally between the participating artists and the foundation. SAF uses these proceeds to fund programmes that support disadvantaged children using expressive arts. This model has so far raised over US$11 million for artists and charities worldwide.
In 2013, SAF launched Make It Better (MIB), an initiative that supports children from low-income backgrounds and with special educational needs in Hong Kong. MIB works in local schools and community centres to offer children a programme of expressive arts workshops designed to build self-esteem, confidence, self-awareness and interpersonal skills. SAF also supports teachers, social workers and caregivers of these children by introducing them to the therapeutic benefits of art.
Title Sponsor | Schroders
Schroders is a global investment manager which provides active asset management, wealth management and investment solutions, , with £777.4 billion (€912.6 billion; $1,05 trillion) of assets under management at 30 September 2024. As a UK listed FTSE100 company, Schroders has a market capitalisation of circa £6 billion and over 6,000 employees across 38 locations. Established in 1804, Schroders remains true to its roots as a family-founded business. The Schroder family continues to be a significant shareholder, holding approximately 44% of the issued share capital.
Schroders' success can be attributed to its diversified business model, spanning different asset classes, client types and geographies. The company offers innovative products and solutions through four core business divisions: Public Markets, Solutions, Wealth Management, and Schroders Capital, which focuses on private markets, including private equity, renewable infrastructure investing, private debt & credit alternatives, and real estate.
Schroders aims to provide excellent investment performance to clients through active management. This means directing capital towards resilient businesses with sustainable business models, consistently with the investment goals of its clients. Schroders serves a diverse client base that includes pension schemes, insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds, endowments, foundations, high net worth individuals, family offices, as well as end clients through partnerships with distributors, financial advisers, and online platforms.
Issued by Schroder Investment Management Limited. Registration No 1893220 England. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Women's Prize Sponsor | Femmes Artistes du Musée de Mougins
On 21st June 2024, FAMM (Female Artists of the Mougins Museum), a private museum dedicated to celebrating women in the arts, officially opened its doors. Located in the heart of the historic village of Mougins and formerly home to the MACM (Mougins Museum of Classical Art) the museum spans four floors. This newly transformed space features a stunning collection of nearly 100 works by 90 internationally acclaimed female artists. The impressive exhibition of paintings, sculptures, and photographs highlights the creative brilliance of women who have played pivotal roles in shaping some of the major artistic movements, from Impressionism to contemporary art.
Benefit Auction Partner | Strauss & Co
Established in 2009, Strauss & Co is the leading art auction house in Africa, specialising in modern and contemporary art, collectable design, fine wine and jewellery. With a focus on African and international art, Strauss & Co caters to art enthusiasts at all price levels with its careful mix of marquee live auctions, single-artist sales, spotlight presentations and popular monthly online sales. Private treaty services are also available. The company actively champions artists, designers and wine producers from Africa and supports various education and community engagement programmes, including a year-round programme of exhibitions in Cape Town, Johannesburg, London and Stellenbosch.
Residency Sponsor | Outset Contemporary Art Fund
Founded in the UK in 2001, Outset Contemporary Art Fund is a philanthropic organisation dedicated to supporting bold and ambitious contemporary art projects. The charity’s mission is to be there from the very outset — giving artists, curators, and institutions vital support for risk-taking ideas at their earliest stages.
Always collectively funded, Outset pioneers new models of public-private partnerships, funding institutions to realise extraordinary contemporary art projects that interrogate the issues of the day. Outset awards funding independently and internationally, responding in real time to the pressing needs of institutions.
From grassroots initiatives to the world stage, we champion open dialogue between artists, institutions, and their funders.
The Norval Sovereign African Art Prize Residency is supported by Liesl Fichardt and Robert Bricout, delivered in partnership with Outset Contemporary Art Fund.
Cultural Partner | The Africa Centre
The Africa Centre is a UK registered charity that celebrates the diversity of Africa and its diaspora. It promotes social cohesion, education, thought leadership, and innovation in art, culture, and entrepreneurship. The Centre first opened its doors to the public in 1964 and has a rich and vibrant history of bringing Africa’s cultural diversity to the fore and promoting greater awareness about political and socio-economic developments affecting the continent and its diaspora.
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With an original remit to foster non-governmental relations between newly independent Africa and Britain, The Africa Centre’s mission today is to educate, connect, and advocate for Africa and its global diaspora, creating a home away from home for Africans in the UK and a warm and welcoming space for anyone with an interest in Africa.
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The Africa Centre opened its new headquarters in Southwark, London in June 2022. The new HQ is a beautifully transformed former 1960s office block that now serves a new hub for contemporary African culture and heritage in London.
