Debbie Field, listening II, 2025
NOTICE OF THE 2026 AGM
The AVA’s 2026 annual general meeting will be held on Tuesday 6 October at 6pm at the AVA Gallery, 35 Church St, Cape Town CBD.
The agenda, as set out by the constitution, will be as follows:
1. Welcome and proceedings
2. Acceptance of last year’s minutes
3. The Chairperson of the Board’s annual report
4. The Treasurer’s report
5. Director’s Report
6. Introduction of existing and prospective Board members
7. The election of new Board members
8. The appointment of an auditor for the upcoming year
9. Any other business
10. Outcome of election
In respect of certain agenda items:
1. In the proceedings, the board would like to address the following items:
a) Ratification of co-options.
b) Request for a waiver for holding the AGM later than 9 months after the end of the financial year. Last year’s minutes are available here.
2. The financials for the year ending 31 December 2025 will be presented by the current Treasurer.
3. The names and terms of current Board members are: Elske Henderson (Chairperson) - 3 years, Grady T Zeeman (Vice Chairperson) - 2 years, Michael Gran (Treasurer) - 2 years, Ina Voloshin - 4 years, Angela Shaw - 3 years, Jonathan Goschen - 3 years, Leigh Leyde - 2 years, Yazeed Kamaldien - 2 years, Sean Logie - 1 year, Eunice Geustyn - 1 year, Laurel Holmes (co-opted) and Olga Speakes (Director, ex-officio).
4. Board Members standing for re-election:
o Grady T Zeeman, biography found here.
o Yazeed Kamaldien, biography found here.
o Ina Voloshin, biography found here.
5. Board Member to be co-opted:
o Laurel Holmes
Laurel Holmes (b. 1964) lives in the Western Cape, South Africa. Her work aims to distill the essence of her immediate natural environs.
Using the sublime as her subject matter, her practice references a nostalgia strongly influenced by memories of an unrestricted, free childhood, where the physical landscape was more accessible. Using printmaking, she examines fragility and strength in a natural world within which our own lives are often harried, bombarded by development, fear, and worry, and too little privacy.
Her works invite the viewer to broaden their own thinking about the natural world and its commodification, and where places of serenity, solace and serendipitous insight are increasingly hard to access.
Holmes left a corporate career in 2012 to work as a full-time artist. In 2021 she completed a postgraduate diploma in fine art, with distinction, at the Michaelis School of Fine Art, UCT.
She is active in the South African art landscape - exhibiting, founding Open Studios Kommetjie in 2018, and was an active member of The Printing Girls 2018-2026.
Her prints, paintings, and ceramics are held in private international and local collections as well as in South African corporate collections, Spier Arts Trust, and the University of Cape Town’s Works of Art Collection.
6. The prospective board members are as follows:
o Siya Ngcobo
Biography: Siya Ngcobo is a Chartered Marketer, strategic communications leader and founder of Griot, a narrative-led marketing, communications and foresight consultancy. Across 15+ years, he has led brand, audience-growth and stakeholder strategies for organisations including Volkswagen Group Africa, Moove, Uber, MultiChoice, Paramount/Viacom, Sesame Workshop and Isanti Glass. His cultural-sector experience includes marketing major African entertainment properties and experiences, including the Black Panther African Premiere and BET Experience Africa. Siya previously served as a Non-Executive Director of Ubuntu Football, contributing to governance, fundraising guidance, risk and stakeholder oversight, and on the Marketing, Branding and Communications Committee of the Southern African Institute of Government Auditors. He holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Futures Studies and two honours-level marketing and media qualifications. His recognitions include Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans, the BBQ Awards’ Transformation in Sustainability award and the TransUnion Rising Star Award.
Motivation: I am seeking election to AVA’s Board because access to platforms, audiences and sustainable funding determines which artists are seen, supported and able to build enduring practices. AVA’s commitment to emerging and independent artists aligns with my career-long work of using narrative, strategy and partnerships to broaden participation and unlock opportunity. I would contribute most strongly through the Fundraising and Marketing Committees. My experience spans brand positioning, integrated campaigns, stakeholder engagement, partnership development, audience growth, reputation management, CSI and impact storytelling. At MultiChoice and Paramount/ Viacom, I helped market African cultural and entertainment properties; in later roles, I managed significant budgets, built strategic partnerships and translated complex organisational priorities into compelling public narratives. As a former NED of Ubuntu Football, I also understand the distinction between governance and operations, as well as the accountability, preparation and collective judgement required of a voluntary board. I would help AVA strengthen its membership proposition, donor and corporate partnership pipeline, digital visibility, impact narrative and long-term relevance. My futures-studies training can support scenario planning and institutional resilience. I understand the two-year, unpaid commitment and am prepared to participate consistently in Board meetings, committee work and AVA functions.
o Abongile Zimasile Mjokozeli
Biography: Zimasile Mjokozeli (b. 1992, Sterkspruit, Eastern Cape) is a Cape Town-based cultural practitioner, gallerist, and independent curator. His work focuses on cross-disciplinary dialogues, with a particular emphasis on archival methods and the exploration of African histories and futures. Zimasile holds an LLB from the University of the Western Cape and has completed internships at both The World Bank and Stevenson. In 2023, he participated in the City of Cape Town's Emerging Artist Programme, curating the group exhibition Mother City, which featured 18 artists. Previously, Zimasile served as a project manager at the Muholi Art Institute, overseeing the residency of 15 artists across various disciplines. This residency culminated in a critically acclaimed exhibition addressing themes of gender-based violence. Currently, Zimasile is the gallery manager at Vela Projects, where he collaborates with the director and artists to co-curate and produce exhibitions. Over the past year, he has been involved in production of over six exhibitions and presenting at two major art fairs.
Motivation: I see board service as an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the governance and strategic direction of an important South African arts institution, while helping to ensure that AVA remains relevant, accessible and responsive to the needs of artists and the wider visual arts community. My experience across gallery management, arts administration, public programming, artist development, communications and cultural policy has given me an understanding of both the opportunities and challenges facing the sector. I would like to contribute this experience to AVA while also learning from the organisation’s history, network and institutional knowledge.
Only paid-up members are eligible to vote. You can become a member here. Paid-up members who cannot be physically present may vote for their preferred board nominees by email by filling out a proxy form here and returning it to admin@ava.co.za no later than 3pm on Tuesday 6 October 2026.
Kindly RSVP to admin@ava.co.za
