The BMW Young Collectors Co. equips its members to protect and champion contemporary African art as much as they collect, by enabling their participation in the arts with a depth that comes from having first-hand insider knowledge.
For centuries, patrons of the arts have remained far removed from the artists whose work they endorse. Interested in the artists’ work and practice, but disconnected from the artist’s live experience, the relationship centered around the material. A collaboration between BMW and FNB Art Joburg, the BMW Collectors Co. initiative was developed to champion Africa’s art market by cultivating a new patronage, a patronage that would grow the support systems artists have.
Born from the action-based FNB Art Joburg, one of the initiative’s objectives is to forge a culture that makes engaging with the local creative economy second-nature for its members. This is achieved through facilitating organic encounters with key players in the arts throughout the year.