POD B, Centre Atrium FADA Building, 18:00-19:30

South Africa has one of the highest incidents of gender-based violence in the world. In recent years the art world has been affected directly through the actions of various art professionals. At the same time, the #MeToo movement and gender activists have put pressure on cultural institutions to root out perpetrators and to isolate them. Among some of the vexing questions that cultural institutions have had to face is whether or not it is sufficient to rely on the criminal justice system to determine guilt or innocence. 

In the case of the municipally-owned Johannesburg Art Gallery (JAG), there is also the question of whether it’s position on acquisition and exhibitions should mirror that of the larger administrative body or can it be nuanced to serve the specific needs of the institution. These questions do not only pertain to the goal of eradicating gender-based violence in society but they also have the potential to inflict reputational damage on the institution concerned.

However, in the absence of a specific policy to address the new environment that is characterized by newer understandings of gender violence, including LGBTIQA+ rights and social media and cancel culture, how do public or private cultural institutions draft policies that can both contribute towards the curbing of gender-based violence whilst also guarding the institutional reputation? 

This intimate, by-invitation workshop is intended to create an environment in which a set of concrete proposals can be explored and discussed, with a view to assisting the JAG address these issues in a socially-responsible manner. The first session (8 August) will be an informal meet-and-greet, in which a small group of invited participants can interact, and in which the objectives of the workshop can be discussed. This introductory session will be followed by a workshop, the outcomes of which will be used to develop a specific policy that satisfies the legal, municipal and ethical challenges that gender-based violence in the art world present presents. 

For more information, please contact:

James Macdonald (VIAD) | email

Philippa Van Straaten (JAG) | email

Hosted by JAG and VIAD, this initial consultation took place at the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture, University of Johannesburg the 8th of August 2019. Participants included: 

Keval Harrie, Sibongile Ndashe, Sharlene Khan, Joseph Gaylard, Gabrielle Goliath and Fouad Asfour. JAG participants included: Khwezi Gule, Bamanye Lethu Ngxale, Seitisho Motsage, Tara Weber, Colin Groenwald and Philippa Van Straten. VIAD participants included: Amie Soudien, Nikita Keogotsitse and James Macdonald.

This introductory session was convened in anticipation of a public session scheduled for April 2020.