Olga Speakes

Olga Speakes joined the AVA team as the Director in 2023 after practicing as an independent curator for over 8 years. She had curated exhibitions at the AVA, the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Bulawayo, at the Constitution Hill in Johannesburg and at Spier in Stellenbosch and had collaborated on curatorial projects at the Iziko South African National Gallery in Cape Town (Women’s Work and Penny Siopis Retrospective). Olga also comes to her role with 10 years’ experience of working in the field of business administration, development and project management. Additionally, as a contract and guest lecturer in art exhibition histories and public display at the Michaelis School of Fine Art, she brings further insights drawn from her exposure to the latest research and best practice in these areas to her role.