We're so glad you asked! This is something of a passion project for us.
We've been investing in supporting Southern African artists since 2001. The Nando’s Art Initiative nurtures undiscovered, emerging and established African artists and gives them the opportunity to focus on their artistic career.
The Nando’s Art Initiative includes five different artist development programmes and we support more than 350 artists on a regular basis.
Some of these focus on emerging full-time artists. Other focus on artists who have established their own studios. There are apprenticeship programmes, the development of new mediums and even sourcing trips where art is bought directly from studios. Each one leads to another, but all are designed to uplift and encourage our artists, to give them the opportunity to earn a regular income and to help them grow.
With over 21,000 pieces (and counting!), we’re officially the biggest collector of Southern African contemporary art in the world. The artworks in our collection are displayed in 1,200 restaurants across 24 countries. Look around, you’ll seeing glimpses of our homeland through the eyes of the hundreds of artists we support.