Zeitz MOCAA Heads to Harare.
by artweb
Harare's contemporary art scene is preparing for an extraordinary November.
With the 58th Annual Conference of the International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art (CIMAM) approaching, another major African art institution has announced plans to bring international patrons, collectors and cultural supporters to Zimbabwe's capital. The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) has unveiled its 2026 Curated Art Tour to Harare, a three-day programme designed to connect participants directly with the artists, galleries, independent studios and institutions shaping contemporary Zimbabwean art.
The tour will be hosted by Michèle Sandoz, Dr Greer Odile Valley and Tiffany Andrews, bringing together expertise in international art markets, curatorial practice and museum patron engagement. It forms part of the museum's established Curated Art Tour series, founded by the late Koyo Kouoh, whose vision of building meaningful connections between African art communities and international supporters continues to shape the programme.
For Zimbabwe's art scene, the significance goes beyond another international cultural visit. The participation of a figure such as Michèle Sandoz introduces an important dimension: the opportunity to connect Zimbabwean artistic production with individuals who have helped shape global networks of collectors, institutions and cultural philanthropy.
Few individuals bring the same breadth of international art-market experience as Michèle Sandoz. For almost a decade, Sandoz served as Global Head of VIP Relations at Art Basel, one of the world's most influential contemporary art fairs. In that position, she helped develop the fair's international collector engagement strategy, cultivate relationships with major patrons and create opportunities for interaction between collectors, galleries and cultural institutions. Her work placed her at the centre of the networks connecting private collecting with the broader international museum ecosystem.
Before Art Basel, Sandoz worked in the auction sector, including as Deputy Director at Christie's Zurich and Head of Asian Art at Koller Auctions. She was also involved in the development of the Daros Latinamerica Collection. She subsequently served as Managing Director of Grisebach Switzerland, contributing to the German auction house's strategic development and positioning in the Swiss market.
In April 2026, Zeitz MOCAA announced her appointment as Senior Strategic Advisor: Global Patronage, following her involvement as a founding member of the museum's Global Council. In this capacity, she contributes to the museum's international patronage strategy, institutional relationships and long-term development.
There is another dimension to Sandoz's participation in the Harare tour that makes her involvement particularly interesting. Michèle Sandoz was born in Zimbabwe to Swiss parents and grew up across several African countries. Her international career subsequently took her through Asian art scholarship, European auction houses, Art Basel and museum advisory roles. Her return to Zimbabwe as one of the hosts of Zeitz MOCAA's curated tour therefore carries a personal connection to the country, alongside her professional experience.
According to Zeitz MOCAA's published itinerary, participants will arrive in Harare on 19 November, ahead of three days of curated visits from 20 to 22 November, with departure scheduled for 23 November. The programme will take participants through several of the country's most influential contemporary art spaces, including the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, First Floor Gallery Harare, Mbare Art Space, Animal Farm Artist Residency and Village Unhu. Artist studio visits will offer opportunities to engage with the practices of Portia Zvavahera, Michele Mathison and Wallen Mapondera.
The programme also includes a welcome breakfast at CHEUKA Harare Art Fair, visits to private collections and a possible excursion to Domboshava. Of particular significance is the scheduled engagement with CIMAM 2026, hosted by the National Gallery of Zimbabwe under the leadership of Raphael Chikukwa.
The convergence of these two programmes creates an unusual concentration of international museum professionals, collectors, patrons and cultural practitioners in Harare during the same period. Zeitz MOCAA's tour brings a patron-focused dimension to this gathering, complementing CIMAM's professional conversations about museums, collections, institutional responsibility and cultural exchange.
With CIMAM convening on the African continent for the first time and Zeitz MOCAA bringing an international group of patrons to the city, November is shaping up to be an important moment for Zimbabwe's visual arts sector.
For more information, visit https://zeitzmocaa.museum/zeitz-mocaa-curated-art-tour-to-harare-zimbabwe/
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