BASEL.- Africa Basel announced the full programme for its 2026 edition, taking place from Tuesday, 16 to Sunday, 21 June 2026 at Klybeck 610, Basel. Bringing together galleries, artists, collectors, curators, institutions and the public, the fair presents contemporary African art and its global diaspora through a programme that extends beyond the exhibition booths into dialogue, performance, music and public encounter.

Opening with the invitation-only Curious Cats Preview and Africa Basel Vernissage on Tuesday, 16 June, the fair will be open to the public from Wednesday, 17 to Sunday, 21 June. Alongside gallery presentations, visitors can experience Africa Basel Conversations, Fountain Talks, Curator’s Guided Tours, Private Africa Basel Experiences, special projects and evening events across the city.

A key highlight of the public programme is Mapping Contemporary African Art, a keynote by Mary Corrigall, whose work as an art market researcher, advisor, journalist and commentator has helped shape the international understanding of contemporary African art. The wider Africa Basel Conversations programme brings together artists, curators, writers, institutional voices and cultural practitioners to address questions around publishing, ecology, artist-led organisations, sound, fashion, identity, mobility and the role of institutions across the African continent.

The programme also places artists at the centre through the Fountain Talks, offering visitors direct insight into artistic practices, materials and ideas. Participating artists include Laura Arminda Kingsley, Birhane Worede, Valerie Asiimwe Amani, Mwamba Chikwemba, Youssef Ouchra, Felix Nsabiremicyiza, Vitshois Mwilambwe Bondo, Chinedu Chidebe, Richard Mudariki and Rhoda Davids Abel.





Special projects further expand the fair’s reach. Art World Passport by Richard Mudariki transforms the language of passports, visas and official documents into a poetic reflection on mobility, belonging and cultural citizenship. The Red Carpet, a participatory installation by Youssef Ouchra in collaboration with KE’CH Collective, invites visitors into a performative encounter, while Beat Apartheid, presented with material from the Basler Afrika Bibliographien, explores the relationship between music, resistance and visual culture in the struggle against apartheid.

Africa Basel’s evening programme continues beyond the fair venue, with the official Africa Basel Party at Kuppel Basel featuring Toya Delazy and Mo Laudi, followed by Africa Basel Nocturnes at Bar Derrière with DJ sets by DJ Copper, Mo Laudi and Mother Dubber.

“Africa Basel is conceived as more than a fair. It is a place of encounter, dialogue and discovery. With this programme, we invite visitors to experience contemporary African art not only through the works on view, but through the ideas, voices and communities that shape them.” — Benjamin Füglister, Director, Africa Basel

Daily Curator’s Guided Tours in German and English will offer visitors deeper insight into selected galleries, artistic positions and the wider themes of the fair. Tickets are available online, and advance booking is strongly recommended. Access to the Conversations programme is free with a valid fair ticket.