There is something powerful about discovering an artwork that makes you stop.
Something even more exciting happens when you realise that the person who created it is part of a new generation of South African artistic voices waiting to be discovered.
This September, Plettenberg Bay will put those voices centre stage.
The Plettenberg Bay Arts Association (PAA) has announced the final selection of 22 artists who will participate in the inaugural White House Collection, taking place at The White House Theatre in Plettenberg Bay from 25 September to 4 October 2026 as part of the annual Plett ARTS Festival 2026.
The announcement marks the next chapter in an exhibition built around a simple but compelling idea: bring original contemporary South African art together in one carefully curated setting and give audiences the opportunity to experience — and purchase — the work.
22 artists. 22 creative voices.
Artists from across South Africa submitted portfolios for consideration.
The final selection was made by an independent curatorial panel comprising Barbara Lenhard, Elize Bezuidenhout and Dallas Smith.
Their brief was not simply to choose work that looked good on a gallery wall.
The panel considered the strength and originality of each artist’s work, artistic execution and how individual practices would contribute to the Collection as a whole.
The result is intended to be a varied exhibition that brings different styles, media and artistic voices into one cohesive collection.
The 22 selected artists are:
- Adri Moller
- Alan Kennedy
- Alison Butterworth
- Anita Gordon
- Antonette Walters
- Aviva Maree
- Bianca Ruth Dillon
- Elmien Ninette Steyl
- Gabriele Blumberg Tobergte
- Gina Loubser
- Gretchen Wheeler
- Ilse Fourie
- Ilse Kruger
- Jill Forbes
- Linnea Pergola
- Marcelle Heller
- Magrieta Judick Knoetze
- Mia Brand
- Nicolaas Roos
- Terrence Jonathan Krüger
- Tessa Hinton
- Zibusiso Magonya
Together, they form the inaugural White House Collection.
The thinking behind the selection
The curatorial process is central to what makes the exhibition different.
The PAA’s official information describes the White House Collection as a considered selection of contemporary artworks presented within a refined gallery setting, with emphasis on strong, collectable work.
That means visitors will not simply encounter a collection assembled at random.
Each selected artist has passed through an independent review process designed to consider the individual quality of the work and its contribution to the exhibition as a whole.
Earlier information from the Association confirms that portfolios were assessed by Lenhard, Bezuidenhout and Smith, bringing together curatorial experience, artistic expertise and long-standing knowledge of the South African art landscape.
Art for collectors — and the curious
The White House Collection has been created with collectors in mind, but its invitation extends much further.
For an experienced collector, the exhibition presents an opportunity to encounter a new group of South African artists in one setting.
For someone considering purchasing their first original artwork, it offers a chance to explore contemporary art within a curated environment.
And for visitors who simply love discovering creative work, the Collection promises an opportunity to spend time with South African art without needing to arrive as an expert.
The exhibition will also offer visitors the opportunity to discover and purchase original contemporary South African art.
That purchasing element adds another layer to the experience.
The artwork does not simply remain something to admire on the wall. It can become something visitors choose to take home, live with and make part of their own story.
Plettenberg Bay becomes the meeting point
The White House Collection forms part of the broader Plett ARTS Festival 2026, which runs from 25 September to 4 October.
The PAA is presenting the Collection alongside its wider arts programme, with the White House Collection providing a more curated exhibition experience. The Association’s current exhibition information describes it as a refined gallery environment bringing together established and emerging artistic voices from the region and beyond.
It is a fitting setting for an exhibition focused on discovery.
Plettenberg Bay has long attracted visitors for its coastline, natural beauty and relaxed atmosphere. During the festival, however, the town becomes a destination for another kind of exploration: the exploration of ideas, artistic expression and South African creativity.
What comes next?
The final artists may now have been announced, but the story of the Collection is only beginning.
Over the coming weeks, the Plettenberg Bay Arts Association plans to introduce the participating artists and preview some of the paintings and sculptures that will be exhibited and available to purchase.
That means audiences will have the opportunity to get to know the people behind the works before the exhibition opens.
And perhaps that is where the real excitement lies.
Because an art exhibition is never only about what hangs on the wall.
It is about the stories behind the work.
The perspectives that shaped it.
The techniques used to create it.
The emotions it provokes.
And sometimes, the unexpected moment when one particular piece feels as though it was made for you.
Mark the dates
The White House Collection will take place at The White House Theatre in Plettenberg Bay from 25 September to 4 October 2026.
For ten days, visitors will have the opportunity to explore a carefully selected collection of contemporary South African art, meet different artistic voices and potentially discover an original work to call their own.
The final selection has been made.
The artists have been chosen.
Now the walls are waiting.
Original art. Selected artists. One curated collection.
And somewhere inside that collection could be the artwork you did not know you were looking for.
