Nando's at 1.54 Contemporary African Art Festival 2017

For the third year running Nando’s is partnering with 1:54 Contemporary African Arts Fair 2017. Once again the internationally acclaimed art fair, taking place at Somerset House from 5th-8th October, will see Nando’s showcase, and sell, works by four artists from its Southern African roots.

With an ambition to change lives and make a real difference to Southern African artists and their families, Nando’s through their partnership with Spier Arts Trust, provides both development opportunities and exposure. By exhibiting original art from their cultural heartbeat in every restaurant, Nando’s aims to democratise art by making it accessible to anyone visiting a Nando’s restaurant.

By partnering with 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair 2017 for the third time Nando’s will give four Southern African artists a platform to showcase their work to the public via the world’s leading art fair dedicated to contemporary African art.

A great example of their innovative work is The Creative Block programme run by the Spier Arts Trust. It gives both emerging and established Southern African artists the opportunity to earn a sum by transforming blank blocks in a medium of their choice, receiving curatorial feedback and exposure to new markets and audiences in the process.

The Creative Block programme has engaged with more than 250 contributing artists, ranging from emerging to established artists. Artworks are submitted for critique and those that meet stringent quality standards are purchased. Each block is an original artwork.

Available for sale from the bookshop, the Creative Block programme is being brought to 1:54 London 2017 by Nando’s, which currently has more than 2000 unique Creative Blocks exhibited in their UK restaurants.

The four artists Nando’s will be showcasing and bringing to the UK include: Patrick Bongoy, Henk Serfontein, Marlise Keith and Thenjiwe Niki Nkosi.