CIMAM to Host its 2026 Annual Conference in Harare, Zimbabwe
Down line, from left to right: Agustín Pérez Rubio, CIMAM Board and Independent Curator, Madrid, Spain; Mercedes Vilardell, Chair of Tate’s African Acquisitions Committee, Spain; Raphael Chikukwa, Director, National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe; Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, President of the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Turin, Italy; Suhanya Raffel, President of CIMAM and Museum Director, M+, Hong Kong, Hong Kong; Kamini Sawhney, CIMAM Board and Head, Public Arts Projects, BlrHubba, Museum Management Expert, Independent Curator, Bangalore, India.
Upline, from left to right: Yu Jin Seng, CIMAM Board and Director (Curatorial, Research & Exhibitions), National Gallery Singapore, Singapore; Bart De Baere, Secretary General of CIMAM and Director, M HKA, Antwerp, Belgium; Joselina Cruz, CIMAM Board and Director/Curator, Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MCAD) Manila, Philippines; Amanda de la Garza, CIMAM Board and Artistic Deputy Director, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (MNCARS), Madrid, Spain; Malgorzata Ludwisiak, CIMAM Board and Ph.D., Museum Management Expert / Freelance Curator / Academic Teacher, Warsaw, Poland.
Barcelona, 25 June 2025
CIMAM – the International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art – announces that its 58th Annual Conference will take place in Harare, Zimbabwe, in 2026, hosted by the National Gallery of Zimbabwe. This marks a historic milestone as it will be the first time the organization, the only global network representing museum directors and curators of modern and contemporary art, will hold its annual conference on the African continent.
The official announcement was made on June 24, in Barcelona at an event hosted at the residence of collector Han Nefkens, Founder of Han Nefkens Foundation. Present were Suhanya Raffel, President of CIMAM and Museum Director of Museum M+ in Hong Kong, and Raphael Chikukwa, Director of the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, alongside Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, President of the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo and co-host of the 2025 Annual Conference in Turin; Elvira Dyangani Ose, Director of MACBA Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona, as a member of the 2026 Conference Content Committee; and Mercedes Vilardell, Chair of Tate’s African Acquisitions Committee, and supporter of CIMAM's Travel Grant Program for African-based professionals.
The CIMAM Annual Conference is a highly anticipated event in the international museum community, addressing the most pressing issues affecting curatorial and institutional practice in modern and contemporary art museums. The conference brings together around 300 museum directors, curators, and intellectual leaders from around the world. For the host city and country, the event offers a unique opportunity to showcase the local art scene and share its narratives with one of the world's most influential professional networks. It also fosters long-term international connections and collaboration.
In 2026, the conference will focus on African narratives in the international discourse, from an African context and perspective. Conceived by the CIMAM Board and discussed with Raphael Chikukwa in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, in 2022, during the CIMAM Annual Conference.
Speaking at the announcement, Suhanya Raffel, President of CIMAM, said:
“Today, we announce a milestone for CIMAM, and the museum community dedicated to modern and contemporary art, with the 2026 Annual Conference being hosted in Zimbabwe. For the first time, our association will be in Africa to hear from our colleagues there about the vital work being done by institutions on this continent and how they are bringing new museology and thinking to our profession. Together with inventive and cogent responses to community building we are thrilled to be working with Raphael Chicukwa, Director National Gallery of Zimbabwe, and his team on this landmark gathering.”
Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, President of the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo
“It is an honour to co-host CIMAM’s 57th Annual Conference in Turin this coming November. After nearly 50 years since the last CIMAM event in Italy, this is a significant moment for our country. The CIMAM conference presents a singular opportunity to come together with international peers to reflect on the evolving role of contemporary art institutions within an increasingly complex global landscape. It is also a chance to share Turin’s rich cultural legacy and reaffirm the importance of art and culture in shaping vibrant, open and resilient communities. By rotating its annual gatherings across different regions of the world—this year in Italy, next year in Zimbabwe—CIMAM reaffirms the essential value of global dialogue and cultural exchange.”
Raphael Chikukwa, Director of the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, commented:
“For years, the National Gallery of Zimbabwe has taken Zimbabwean Art to the World, and it’s time to bring the world to Zimbabwe through the CIMAM Annual Conference 2026. Furthermore, this is a great opportunity for African Museums professionals to engage more actively with CIMAM and for the global attendees to experience Africa’s contemporary art scene at firsthand in Zimbabwe.
This important gathering will contribute to the global dialogue in both modern and contemporary art, which is CIMAM’s mission and the gallery’s mission too. The staging of CIMAM Annual Conference at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe is a recognition of its contribution to the modern and contemporary art history. CIMAM Annual Conference will also strengthen international connections by bringing museum directors, curators, and scholars from around the world. Furthermore, it is an opportunity for the Global South narratives to be understood from their own context.
The coming of the CIMAM Annual Conference to Zimbabwe has its economic value to the local communities that includes, including cultural tourism and giving local artists and galleries an opportunity to showcase their work. This will also give the local artists and curators an opportunity to exchange and network with the global art leaders. We see CIMAM as a twin to ICAC (International Congress of African Culture) because both institutions were founded in 1962 and this connection speaks volume. ICAC was formed in 1962 which saw notable Museums leaders like Alfred Barr the founding Director of MoMA, attending including Roland Penrose of ICI London and many others. Hosting the CIMAM Annual Conference ensures that Africa is no longer stepchild of the global art scene, and it brings a critical dialogue about the future of museums in Africa.
Elvira Dyangani Ose, Director of MACBA Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona, as member of the 2026 CIMAM Annual Conference Content Committee.
“The organisation of the CIMAM professional meeting in Harare is evidence that, in recent decades, other forms of institutionality, both public and private, beyond established Western formats, have gained prominence on the international scene.
Talking about the “museum” as an institution today requires questioning its definition, its nature, and its history; which inevitably leads us to ask whether this institution, as we understand it today, is the platform for the transfer of aesthetic, cultural, and experiential knowledge that Africa, the continent's cultural producers and agents and its diaspora, and the rest of us need.”
Upline, from left to right: Suhanya Raffel, Museum Director, M+, Hong Kong, Hong Kong; Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, President of the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Turin, Italy; Mercedes Vilardell, Chair of Tate’s African Acquisitions Committee, Spain; Yu Jin Seng, Director (Curatorial, Research & Exhibitions), National Gallery Singapore, Singapore.
Down line, From left to right: Victoria Noorthoorn, Director, Museo de Arte Moderno de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Agustín Pérez Rubio, Independent Curator, Madrid, Spain; Bart De Baere, Director, M HKA, Antwerp, Belgium.
Also, present in Barcelona were members of CIMAM’s Board – Bart De Baere, Director, M HKA, Antwerp, Belgium, Joselina Cruz, Director/Curator, Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MCAD) Manila, Philippines, Yu Jin Seng, Director (Curatorial, Research & Exhibitions), National Gallery Singapore, Agustín Pérez Rubio, Independent Curator, Madrid, Spain; Kamini Sawhney, Head, Public Arts Projects, BlrHubba, Museum Management Expert, Independent Curator, Bangalore, India; Amanda de la Garza, Artistic Deputy Director, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (MNCARS), Madrid, Spain; Victoria Noorthoorn, Director, Museo de Arte Moderno de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Malgorzata Ludwisiak, Ph.D., Museum Management Expert / Freelance Curator / Academic Teacher, Warsaw, Poland – as well as local and international representatives of the cultural sector.
About CIMAM.
CIMAM (International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art) is the only global network dedicated to directors and curators of modern and contemporary art museums. Founded in The Hague in 1962, CIMAM is an Affiliated Organization of ICOM (International Council of Museums).
CIMAM envisions a world where the cultural, social, and economic impact of modern and contemporary art museums, collections, and archives is widely recognized. To achieve this, CIMAM brings together museum directos and curators to debate, share knowledge, and address key issues through initiatives such as the Annual Conference and Rapid Response Webinars.
The organization provides support aligned with the ethical values of the ICOM and CIMAM Code of Ethics, establishing guidelines, protocols, and best practices through programs like Museum Watch, Sustainability and Ecology in Museum Practice, and the Outstanding Museum Practice Award.
CIMAM also fosters sector growth and international cooperation through its Travel Grant Program, enabling professionals from emerging economies to participate in the global museum community.
Led by an international Board of Directors and Curators, and managed by its Executive Office in Barcelona (Spain), CIMAM relies on the collective expertise of its members to advance the sector and realize this shared vision.
About the National Gallery of Zimbabwe
The National Gallery of Zimbabwe, established in 1957, is a leading institution for contemporary and modern art in southern Africa. The National Gallery of Zimbabwe champions local talent, fostering creativity and continuous dialogue. We inspire broader appreciation of Zimbabwe’s dynamic visual arts, showcasing the nation’s rich artistic heritage and contemporary innovations.