Johannesburg’s diverse local art talent is coming together. In a spaza shop

Andrew Lindsay was bored of being a landlord. So he turned his property into an art gallery. To fill the space he welcomed local artists and performers to showcase their work. Charging no cover to either artists or patrons, the Spaza Art Gallery’s only objective is to promote locally-generated creative arts. And among the abundance of raw talent there are genuine artistic treasures.

Lindsay himself is a painter. His art has always been focused on giving others a lift – much of it in the past has looked at miners and their union struggles – and he’s now doing some practical giving back through the gallery in Troyeville, Johannesburg. Working in the industry for many years, he experienced the lack of contact between artists and their supporters. His gallery bridges that gap by giving creators the chance to meet one another alongside admirers of their work.

The art world is often hyper-critical. But through the gallery Lindsay has created a friendlier space for artists. Any given visit to the Spaza Art Gallery could see you stumble upon art exhibitions, poetry readings, music, workshops, theatre or comedy. Lindsay welcomes the community to explore the diversity of art on offer, and the richness of South Africa’s creative talent. It’s a local project for local people.