CIMAM's Turin conference sets the stage for Zimbabwe

The 57^th Annual Conference of the International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art (CIMAM) which was recently held in Turin, Italy has set the stage for Zimbabwe. The country is set to host the conference in 2026, which will be the conference's first ever edition on African soil.

A delegation consisting of the Higherlife Foundation and the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, was in attendance representing Zimbabwe.

At the end of the conference; a new board of trustees for CIMAM was voted in, to which the Executive Director of the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Raphael Chikukwa, was elected.

"The Turin Conference was a learning curve for my team and I; alongside the Chairman of the board of trustees, Justice Maphios Cheda (Rtd.). I extend my gratitude to the Board of CIMAM,  Fondazione CRT, Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Castello di Rivoli Museo d’Arte Contemporanea and the Fondazione Torino Musei for accommodating us," shared Chikukwa.

"Allow me to thank the Higherlife Foundation which has given a new lease on life to the Gallery, and has allowed us to prosper on the global stage. We are immensely grateful for their unwavering support, and encourage corporations in Zimbabwe and on the continent to follow suit, in supporting heritage and culture within their home nations."

Hosting the 2026 CIMAM conference is part of a collaborative effort between the National Gallery of Zimbabwe and Higherlife Foundation.

Higherlife Foundation’s support is rooted in a long-term commitment to preserving, elevating, and future-proofing Zimbabwean culture. The organisation hopes to strengthen institutional capacity so that NGZ is positioned as a leading cultural institution in Africa that is able to host, curate, and dialogue at a global standard.

"Attending the CIMAM Conference for the first time was an eye-opening and deeply enriching experience... For me, the experience affirmed how interconnected the global cultural landscape has become and highlighted the opportunity for Zimbabwe, through NGZ, to play a meaningful role in shaping the future of museum practice on the continent and beyond," stated Fortune Kaseke, Higherlife Foundation Acting General Manager.

"Modern Art Museums are far more than exhibition spaces; they are social mirrors, cultural archives, and innovation labs for the imagination."

The endearing message from both the National Gallery of Zimbabwe and Higherlife is that the country must collectively shine together as it looks into the future of Museums of Modern and Contemporary Art.