In the global art market, art fairs have become very popular art events. This thesis examines whether and how major art fairs in South Africa empower visual artists at the grassroots level. The study used practice-based and practice-led strategies as additional units of analysis to argue that by expanding partnerships and participation networks at South African major art fairs, (namely: the FNB Joburg Art Fair, Investec Cape Town Art Fair, Turbine Art Fair, and Art Africa Fair), socioeconomic inclusion of grassroots artists can be achieved. Most studies on art fairs focus on the glamour and celebrity trends of such expos. However, this study proposed an inclusive visual artists empowering model advocating for an inclusive approach in the promotion of artistic talent towards social cohesion. Hermeneutic phenomenology and auto-ethnography research methods were used to investigate modes of operation of art fairs and how these events are advancing social cohesion in South Africa. Social cohesion is applied as a framework of this study. Through this study art gallery curators, art fair coordinators, as well as accepted and rejected artists at art expo events communicated their experiences regarding art expo participation, and on how participative inclusivity can be achieved. The results of this study critique and reject the view that grassroot artistic talent cannot be promoted through art fairs that are hosted by the South African based organisations merely because they are not affiliated to prominent art galleries. Arising from the data and analysis thereof, this study proposes an inclusive visual artists empowering model and argues for an inclusive approach for the promotion of artistic talent in the country.
Keywords: inclusive empowering model; art fairs; social cohesion; social inclusion, social exclusion, practice-based, practice-led