During the past 60 years, the Durban African Art Centre Association (African Art Centre) has provided a hundred of artists and crafters with opportunities for self-employment and the realization of their talents. Originally established as a programme of the South African Institute of Race Relations in 1959, the African Art Centre has, since 1984, operated as a non-profit organization. It was guided by the late Jo Thorpe, who virtually single-handed, put Durban on the map as an important centre of black artistic development.

Since its inception, the African Art Centre has successfully facilitated and implemented relevant development and mentorship programmes and showcase opportunities for hundreds of artists and crafters from rural and urban KwaZulu-Natal. The Centre is recognized as one of the longest running South African organizations involved in the development and marketing of the works produced by disadvantaged artists and crafters. Through various marketing initiatives, every attempt is made to assist artists and crafters to tap into domestic, provincial, national and international markets. Our shop and gallery now situated in premises at The Phansi Museum at 500 Esther Roberts Road, Glenwood, Durban, allows us to professionally showcase and promote the works of artists and crafters on and ongoing basis.