For more than two decades, Spier Arts Trust’s Creative Block programme has provided South African artists with opportunities to develop their practices. For some artists, Creative Block helped provide a first reliable source of income. For others, it became a platform for experimentation at a pivotal stage in their careers.
"The Creative Block: Making a Mark" exhibition at Spier Wine Farm’s Old Wine Cellar brings together 150 small-format original artworks by 85 artists from across South Africa, alongside photographic portraits of 10 artists whose careers have developed significantly alongside the programme.
The exhibition marks more than 23 years of the Creative Block programme and reflects on its impact across generations of South African artists.
About the exhibition
For Tamlin Blake, chief curator at Spier Arts Trust, the exhibition celebrates what artists have achieved in their own careers and reflects on the role the Creative Block programme has played in supporting local artistic development.
“Spier Arts Trust values the programme as the foundation of our ecosystem,” Blake says. “This exhibition is a lovely way to celebrate the artists and their contribution to the programme over the years.”
Spier Arts Trust has worked with many artists at various points in their careers, including several who joined the programme early in their careers and have since gone on to establish significant national and international profiles.
Watching artists grow
The 10 featured artists were selected for the way their careers and artistic practices have evolved over time, reflecting different pathways through the programme.
For Spier Arts Trust, the exhibition provides an opportunity to reflect on both the artists’ journeys and the way the programme has developed since its inception.
“We’re so happy to have walked this path alongside them for so long, and to have many of them still involved with what we do,” Blake says. “Their careers show what can happen when artists are given the support and space to develop over time.”
The value of support
Behind the celebration of individual artists is a broader reflection on the role of formalised support in helping artists navigate the early stages of their careers.
Establishing a sustainable career in the arts can be difficult without some form of support structure. “Especially while they’re developing their unique artistic voice,” Blake says, “it’s a tricky space to navigate alone.”
Creative Block provides a practical form of assistance. Through the programme, Spier Arts Trust purchases work from artists on a frequent basis, while the income generated contributes towards everyday costs such as art materials or studio rent.
A celebration in works
The exhibition will feature 150 Creative Block artworks presented alongside photographic portraits highlighting 10 artists. The portraits are intended to offer visitors a sense of the people behind the artworks, their personalities and what drives their creative practices.
The diverse selection of Creative Block works by 85 artists from across South Africa has been selected to demonstrate the breadth of creativity represented within Creative Block. “It’s inspiring to see the many different voices in terms of art-making, and the way artists express themselves. For aspiring artists, it demonstrates what is possible.”
That variety is part of what makes the programme work, Blake believes. Visitors may not respond to every piece, but the diversity of approaches can prompt curiosity and engagement.
"The Creative Block: Making a Mark" exhibition celebrates the artists and the programme that has helped create opportunities for them along the way.
It is a reminder of the value of sustained support and long-term relationships: not necessarily in determining where an artist will end up, but in providing the practical opportunities and encouragement that can help them keep going while they find their own direction.
Details
Exhibition: Creative Block
Venue: Green Room, Spier Manor, Spier Wine Farm, Stellenbosch
Date: 2 October - 31 December 2026
Time: 10h00 - 17h00
Cost: Free entry