16/10/2026
Every Journey Counts: Montagu Invites Visitors to Meander Through Its World of Art
The Montagu Art Meander returns from 6β8 November, celebrating local creativity, slow travel and the unexpected discoveries found just up the street.
MONTAGU, WESTERN CAPE β Sometimes the most memorable journeys don't require a plane ticket, a long road trip or even a change of scenery. Sometimes, all it takes is a walk through the streets of your own hometown.
This is the spirit behind the Montagu Art Meander, returning from 6β8 November, and a fitting celebration of October's tourism theme, Every Journey Counts.
The recent official opening of the new home of the Montagu Arts Association (MAA) at 24 Bath Street has set the scene for another celebration of the town's vibrant creative community. Its inaugural exhibition, Growth & Bloom, features more than 110 artworks by local artists, filling a familiar building with colour, inspiration and renewed purpose.
For years, the building housed the Montagu-Ashton Tourism office. Following damage and the loss of electricity during the Covid period, it was renovated and stood empty for a time. Its transformation into a creative home for local art is a welcome reminder of how familiar places can find new life and how art can bring people together.
The opening marks the beginning of another artistic journey in Montagu β one that visitors can continue during the November Art Meander.
An invitation to travel slowly and discover more
Montagu's Art Meander invites visitors to explore the town at a leisurely pace, following their curiosity through beautiful streets, historic buildings, galleries and artists' studios.
Rather than rushing from one attraction to the next, visitors are encouraged to pause, meet the people behind the art, discover individual stories and experience the creative spirit that makes Montagu distinctive.
Among the highlights are:
Sarel van Rensburg β All the Mountains I've Climbed
At 95, artist Sarel van Rensburg brings a lifetime of experience and artistic expression to an exhibition whose title evokes a journey through life, memory and creativity.
THE LOFT Art Studio & Gallery β 8 Bath Street
Artist Louise Jean showcases the beauty and craftsmanship of hand embroidery, offering visitors an opportunity to appreciate an art form that celebrates patience, detail and the handmade.
Hicks Art Gallery β 9 Joubert Street
Run from the home of artists Richard and Joy Hickman, this private fine art gallery features Richard's colourful watercolour works alongside other artworks. It offers an intimate encounter with art in a personal setting.
Kupenda Africa Gallery β 4d Kohler Street
Combining an art gallery, w**e bar and cultural space, Kupenda Africa celebrates contemporary African art through oil paintings, watercolours, charcoal and pastel works, sculptures and artisan crafts. Visitors can also discover items such as Ndebele art, hand towels, Xhosa-stripe products and baskets woven from recycled plastic.
Ibis Gallery β in Montagu's historic heart
Located on Bath street, opposite the popular Bird Tree at Leidam, the Ibis Gallery has been part of Montagu's creative landscape since 1990, when it began in a small stoep room selling pottery. It has since expanded its collection to include paintings, handcrafted woodwork, pottery and vintage Oriental carpets, while retaining the intimate character of a gallery within a historic home.
Managed by Carolyn Metcalfe, Hennie Kok and Macushla Falkiner, the gallery's current contributing artists include Jaco Coetzee, Cathy McShannon, Elmari Bogenhoffer and Kim Dreyer.
These are just some of the creative stops awaiting visitors. The pleasure of the Art Meander lies equally in the unexpected discoveries made along the way β a tucked-away studio, a conversation with an artist, a beautiful detail in an old building or a new favourite artwork.
Art, place and the journey in between
For a small town such as Montagu, art is more than something to admire on a gallery wall. It is part of the town's identity, a reflection of its people and a meaningful way for visitors to connect with local culture.
The Art Meander brings together creativity, heritage, hospitality and the pleasures of slow travel. Visitors can walk between destinations, enjoy the streetscape, stop for refreshments and experience the town beyond its familiar attractions.
It is also a reminder that tourism is not only about how far we travel, but how deeply we engage with the places we visit.
The new home of the Montagu Arts Association is one more reason to explore, while the wider Art Meander opens the door to a rich variety of artistic experiences throughout the town.
As the tourism theme Every Journey Counts suggests, every step can reveal something new. In Montagu, that journey might begin with a gallery visit and end with a conversation, a treasured purchase or a fresh appreciation for the creativity thriving in a small Karoo town.
The invitation is simple: come to Montagu from 6β8 November, take your time, follow your curiosity and discover where the art leads you.
Because sometimes, the most rewarding journey is the one that takes you just up the street.
