Makwande Art Prints
Founder, Owner and Curator
Makwande Art Prints is a youth-led, student-owned enterprise that helps fine arts students exhibit and sell hand-printed works while learning the professional side of being an artist.
I co-founded Makwande in 2023 with Sebotse Selamulela and now lead it as owner and curator. Makwande sits between art schools and the art market: it finds exhibition opportunities, prepares and presents students' work, handles sales, and teaches the professional basics often left out of training — contracts, pricing, preparing work for exhibition and marketing.
Work is selected on quality and potential rather than reputation, so emerging and first-time exhibitors get a real chance. For several students, Makwande has provided their first ever sale.
My role
“I started Makwande while I was a student myself, because I saw how few of my peers were taught how to sell, price or show their work.”
Founder and owner
Built and runs the enterprise and its business model.
Curator
Designs open calls, selects artists and works, and curates exhibitions.
Exhibition producer
Secures venues, plans installation and manages artist correspondence.
Contracts and pricing
Drafts artist contracts, including copyright protection, and teaches a consistent pricing method.
Catalogue and publicity
Produces exhibition catalogues, open-call designs and promotion.
Mentor
Guides students through preparing, presenting and selling their work.
University outreach
Works with printmaking departments and is building a network of campus liaisons across South Africa.
How it works
- 1
Open call
- 2
Selection
- 3
Preparation & contracts
- 4
Exhibition & sales
A transparent, low-commission model designed so students keep the largest possible share of each sale.
Key project
Makwande l'Abondance
Alliance Française, Pretoria · opened 8 October 2026
- National open call with over 250 prints submitted; 42 artists and 94 prints selected.
- Curated the exhibition, wrote the curator's introduction, produced the catalogue and led the opening walkabout.
- Included first-time exhibitors; Makwande now has a standing yearly exhibition at the Alliance Française.
Timeline
2023
Makwande founded; weekly market stalls selling students' prints.
2024
Works lent to exhibitions from the Makwande database.
2026
Makwande l'Abondance, Alliance Française, Pretoria.
Ongoing
A yearly exhibition and growing university partnerships.
42
Artists in l'Abondance
94
Prints exhibited
250+
Prints submitted
2023
Founded
“My aim is for every student we work with to leave able to price, present and sell their work on their own.”