Seven Art Galleries to visit in Windhoek

Bellhaus Atelier & Galerie

The newest member to Windhoek’s family of art galleries, Bellhaus is currently showing the fifth exhibition since opening doors in March this year. Located in a historic building, the gallery features beautiful wooden floors and trusses from the original architecture, elevated with white walls and ambient lighting. On the building’s facade, exhibitions are broadcasted in tasteful murals. Bellhaus also houses a small shop stocking Wonderveld Apothecary, a local organic skincare line. More than simply showing remarkable artwork by local and international artists, Bellhaus also hosts yoga and dinner parties, all with an artsy twist, of course!

Location: 18 Bell Street, Grüner Kranz, Windhoek Opening times: MON-SAT 9:00 - 12:30 or by appointment Contact: hello@bellhaus.art

The Project Room

This gallery has been around since 2016, but moved to an exciting new and central location earlier this year. Surrounded by uber cool barber, tattoo parlour, 3D print and artisan leather shops, this is said to be Windhoek’s up-and-coming neighbourhood. For a contemporary take on Namibian art, The Project Room should be your first stop. It features everything from jewellery, sculpture and photography to performance art, and ceramics. Keep a lookout on social media for exhibition updates.

Location: 30 Julius Nyerere Street (former Lazarett Street) Windhoek Opening hours: During exhibitions, TUE-SAT 10:00 - 13:00 or by appointment Contact: theprojectroomnamibia@gmail.com

StArt Art Gallery

StArt is first and foremost Namibia’s number one online art platform. It was founded on the premise of making local art accessible to greater, international audiences through the ease of buying online. In its physical form, StArt occupies the lofty Village Opera House, a grand, double-volume space with exposed wooden beams. Events are often hosted in this space, facilitated by The Village, which means you can, essentially, rent out an art gallery for your next soirée.

Location: www.startartgallery.com The Village Opera House, 18 Liliencron Street, Windhoek Opening hours: MON 9:00 to 17:00, TUE-SAT 9:00 to 19:00 Contact: info@startartgallery.com

National Art Gallery of Namibia

Old-faithful has been showcasing Namibian art since independence, and remains a cornerstone (literally, on a street corner) to the local art scene. The mezzanine floor’s exhibition space is reminiscent of hyper-modern, whitewashed galleries, finished with the classic square leather seats. The lights are prominent and really draw you to the artwork. With permanent installations as well as a consistent rotation of temporary exhibits, NAGN deserves a spot on your art tour of Windhoek itinerary.

Location: Corner of Robert Mugabe Ave and John Meinert Street, Windhoek Opening hours: MON 14:00 - 17:00, TUE-FRI 8:00 - 17:00, SAT 9:00 - 14:00 Contact: pro@nagn.org.na

Namibia Arts Association

Centrally located in the capital, in a recently acquired historic building, the Namibia Arts Association has always been part and parcel of the local art scene. Whitewashed walls showcase Namibian talents on a regular rotation, with a recent artist call-out bringing fresh, lesser-known voices and perspectives to the forefront. What makes the space extra special is its layout – not simply a large, echoing hall, but exhibits take up multiple rooms. The walkabout ends up feeling like making a new discovery every time you enter a different space through the original wooden door frames.

Location: 122 Robert Mugabe Ave, Windhoek Opening hours: MON-FRI 10:00 - 17:00, SAT 10:00 - 14:00 Contact: administrator@naa.na

EFANO EFANO

This pop-up gallery has been trailblazing the arts scene, introducing us to new names and an entirely different gallery experience. Efano, derived from the Oshiwambo language, means photo as the gallery focuses predominantly on lens art (or photos, to you and me). While Efano Efano embraces a mobile nature, with a recent exhibit at the Goethe Institute, you can view exhibits in their semi-permanent location: the swanky Café Prestige in the centre of town.

Location: Café Prestige, Franco Namibian Cultural Centre, Windhoek Opening hours: MON-FRI 7:30 - 19:00, closed on weekends Contact: @efano_efano on Instagram

Omba Art Gallery

On the Namibia Craft Centre’s mezzanine floor you’ll find one of Windhoek's most loved gallery spaces. Frequented by foreign visitors to the country, the Omba Gallery highlights historic art practices like lino print, weaving and stone sculpture. The gallery is surrounded by some of Namibia’s most beautiful arts and crafts, and you can smell freshly ground coffee coming from the café while strolling through the space. With wood floors, exposed steel beams and natural light, the artwork truly pops off the walls.

Location: Namibia Craft Centre, Tal Street, Windhoek Opening hours: MON-FRI 10:00 - 17:00, SAT 10:00 - 14:00 Contact: sales@omba.org.na

Charene Labuschagne