Visual arts a collaborative effort at Aardklop 2026 hosted by the NWU Gallery

Cornerstone is the visual arts theme for Aardklop 2026, bringing together artists, studios and collectives from across South Africa in a celebration of the foundations of artistic practice. Inspired by the cornerstone as a symbol of beginning, strength and permanence, the theme explores traditional art-making practices as important systems of learning, mentorship and creative expression. Across the NWU Potchefstroom campus and The Roots Venue, the exhibition programme creates spaces where tradition and experimentation meet, inviting young and old to engage with locally rooted visual languages that contribute to broader conversations in contemporary art. Curator at the NWU Art Gallery, Sheryl Msomi joins Yolanda Maartens in the OFM Art Beat to talk about the relevant workshops also taking place at Aardklop this year.