Cultural Innovation Lab: A Curatorial Masterclass with Mpumi Mayisa

This one-day masterclass is designed for aspiring and early-career curators, cultural workers, and creative practitioners who are interested in building sustainable, thoughtful, and innovative pathways within the arts and culture ecosystem.

Led by curator, cultural innovator, and founder of Tsoko Art Advisory, Mpumi Mayisa, the workshop offers both strategic insight and practical tools for navigating the art world while imagining new models of practice, collaboration, and cultural production.

The day is structured as a lab; part learning, part experimentation, centring cultural innovation, ecosystem-building, and the courage to set your own path.

What the Day Looks Like

Session 1: Mapping a Curatorial Path (Morning)

Mpumi Mayisa will lead a presentation drawing from her curatorial journey, offering insights into:

• How the contemporary art world functions (beyond the visible layers)
• Building a curatorial voice and practice outside of rigid institutional models
• Creating ecosystems rather than waiting for permission
• Cultural innovation, sustainability, and strategic positioning
• Inserting yourself meaningfully into the cultural landscape

This session combines reflection, real-world examples, and honest insight into the labour, risks, and rewards of working in culture.

Session 2: Curatorial Ideation Lab (Afternoon)

Participants will be placed into small groups and tasked with ideating an exhibition or cultural activation. Each group will:

• Conceptualise a project (exhibition, programme, or intervention)
• Think through audience, context, feasibility, and impact
• Present their idea back to Mpumi Mayisa for feedback, critique, and refinement

Post-Workshop Mentorship

Following the workshop, each participant will receive a one-hour online mentorship session with Mpumi Mayisa. This session is tailored to where you are in your practice, offering feedback, guidance, and strategic insight to support your next steps.

Who This Is For:

• Aspiring and emerging curators
• Cultural workers and arts practitioners
• Writers, researchers, and producers working within culture
• Anyone interested in building new models within the arts

Date: 7 February 2026

Duration: 10:00am - 15:00pm

Location: To be confirmed with participants

Limited spaces available - light refreshments will be served

This masterclass is an invitation to think critically, experiment boldly, and build futures within culture — on your own terms.