South African singer-songwriter Msaki has been announced as the headliner of the 2026 Absa L’Atelier Art and Lifestyle Fair, bringing her distinctive voice to Waterfall City Park at Mall of Africa on Saturday, 10 October.
Also see: Msaki assures fans that she has not retired
Artists to join Msaki at Absa L’Atelier Art and Lifestyle Fair
She will be joined by the three-time Grammy Award-winning Soweto Gospel Choir and R&B artist Elaine, adding a powerful live music line-up to a fair celebrating 40 years of Absa L’Atelier Art. The performances will unfold alongside an exhibition of work by the competition’s 12 finalists.
Msaki’s connection to the visual arts runs alongside her music. She has studied fine art, graphic design, film photography and curatorial practice. The Soweto Gospel Choir will bring its distinctive voices, colour and movement to the stage, while Elaine, who made her breakthrough with the independently released EP Elements, will close the show.
40 Years of Absa L’Atelier Art
Special installations and exhibitions will honour that history, while the finalists’ work offers a glimpse of the ideas and perspectives shaping contemporary African art. The fair takes the experience beyond a conventional gallery, inviting visitors to encounter the art alongside performances and other creative experiences throughout the day.
The winners’ announcement will mark a new chapter for four artists.
Three will be named Absa L’Atelier Ambassadors, each receiving masterclasses, four months of mentorship and a two-month art residency in South Africa in 2027. They will also have the opportunity to stage a solo exhibition within two years, with up to R100,000 in support for exhibition materials.
The fourth winner will receive the Gerard Sekoto Award: a three-month residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris in 2027, followed by a solo exhibition in Johannesburg in 2028, with up to R100,000 towards materials and framing.
Those prizes continue a 40-year commitment to helping emerging artists build lasting careers. Through Absa L’Atelier Art, artists across Africa have benefited from more than 21 mentorship programmes and 70 international art residencies, while the platform has supported more than 100 solo exhibitions.
Dr Paul Bayliss, Senior Specialist, Art and Museum Curator at Absa Group, said:
“I hope the four winners use the opportunities ahead of them to keep developing their practice, challenge the way we see familiar things and the stories and communities that have too often gone unheard, a voice.”
Visitors can also enjoy fashion showcases, food and beverage stalls, wine tasting and interactive creative spaces. A supervised area will offer creative activities for children aged 12 and under.
Event details
Gates open at 10:00, with musical performances scheduled from 11:30 to 17:00. Tickets cost R350 through Howler. Children aged 12 and under enter for free when accompanied.
Also see: Jesse Clegg and Msaki Take Fans on a Journey of Friendship and Sound in ‘Entropy’ EP
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