The Tilga Foundation is reshaping the African luxury art space, emerging as a transformative force in the way contemporary African artists are supported, positioned and collected. Celebrating five years of sustained impact, the Tilga Art Prize presents Vision Restoration 17-22 February 2026 at Southern Guild Warehouse, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town. The exhibition highlights the Foundation's commitment to promoting contemporary African art within a global premium context while providing artists with significant financial and professional resources.

Elevating emerging artists to the luxury market

Founded by cultural patron Wole Bakare, the Tilga Art Prize identifies and encourages early African artists whose work demonstrates conceptual rigor, social awareness and international potential. More than just symbolic recognition, the Award offers tangible financial support, professional development, mentorship and global visibility.

The 2025 South African edition focused on artists aged 18 to 30 who live and work in South Africa, or who are of South African descent in the diaspora. The total grant of USD 10,000, approximately ZAR 185,000, was awarded to four finalists. The first prize winner received a fully funded three-month residency at Bag Factory Artists' Studios in Johannesburg, giving them the opportunity to hone their practice in a professional environment and gain critical exposure.

This combination of funding, mentoring and exposure positions artists not only within local art circuits but also within the broader global contemporary art market. In doing so, the Foundation plays a critical role in establishing African art as a viable and sustainable luxury investment category.

Curatorial excellence and conceptual depth

Curated by Mpumi Mayisa, Vision Restoration brings together the finalists of the 2022 and 2025 editions of the Tilga Art Prize. The exhibition foregrounds practices that interrogate visibility, erasure, intimacy and perception within a contemporary South African context.

Working with painting, sculpture, installation and mixed media, the artists demonstrate conceptual sophistication aligned with international collecting standards. By hosting the exhibition at the Southern Guild Warehouse, the Tilga Foundation places emerging African artists in a premium commercial and cultural environment, signaling their place within the conversation around luxury art.

Building a pan-African cultural network

Since its inception, the Tilga Art Prize has awarded 21 artists from Nigeria, Uganda and South Africa. Beyond the award itself, the Tilga Foundation supports scholarships and internship programs designed to improve access, mobility and career opportunities for young creatives.

This ecosystem approach reflects a shift from isolated sponsorship to a structured cultural infrastructure. By investing in education, mentorship and international visibility, the Foundation cultivates a generation of African artists prepared to compete and thrive in the global luxury art market.

Its holistic approach also emphasizes the importance of cultural literacy and career preparation. By providing artists with access to global networks, portfolio development and curatorial guidance, the Tilga Foundation ensures that emerging creatives are not only visible but prepared to navigate the complexities of the international art market. It proves that sustainable success in the luxury art space requires more than talent; it requires strategy, mentorship and exposure, creating a new generation of African artists capable of shaping both local and global contemporary art narratives.

Shaping the future of contemporary African art

While Vision Restoration Although it marks the conclusion of the 2025 open call cycle, it also represents a moment of forward-looking. The Tilga Foundation is not limited to funding artists; is redefining how contemporary African art is valued, curated and collected.

By championing conceptual depth, professional development and equitable economic models, the Foundation positions Africa not as a peripheral participant but as a central and influential force in the global narrative of luxury art. Through this commitment, the Tilga Foundation is creating a new paradigm in which contemporary African art can flourish on its own terms and take its rightful place in the international market.