Mpumi Mayisa is reshaping how people engage with contemporary African art. As a curator, writer, researcher and cultural strategist, she has built a career around making the art world more accessible, creating spaces where artists, collectors and the public can connect in meaningful ways.

As founder of Tsoko Art Advisory, Mayisa, 34, leads a consultancy specialising in curatorial practice, art advisory and immersive cultural experiences across Southern and Western Africa.

Through her platform, Gliding Through the Gallery, she introduces new audiences to contemporary African art by opening the doors to galleries, artist studios and public programmes, breaking down barriers that have long made the sector feel exclusive. Her work spans exhibition-making, cultural strategy, research and arts education, with a focus on strengthening Africa's creative ecosystem.

Among her career highlights are curating the National Arts and Culture Awards exhibition for the department of sport, arts and culture and Hlukanisa, uHlanganise, an intergenerational exhibition that brought Dr Esther Mahlangu into dialogue with a new generation of women artists.

After leaving a law degree to pursue her passion, Mayisa studied international curatorial studies through the Node Centre for Curatorial Studies in Berlin. She continues to prove that art is at its most powerful when it invites more people into the conversation.