With international acclaim for its wines and cuisine, the historic town of Stellenbosch in South Africa’s Western Cape, has been building a global reputation as a centre for the arts. In line with this, the town recently unveiled the new Stellenbosch Art Route, making the best works easier to find for travellers.

Stellenbosch Art Route map preview.

Stellenbosch 360, Stellenbosch Visio magazine and the creative community of Stellenbosch have been working to put together a map that helps visitors navigate around the town and experience the full range of art offerings in the greater Stellenbosch area.

As a result, the new Art Route map features the public and private collections of museums, galleries, craft markets, foundries, sculpture gardens and open-air public art exhibits, both in the historic town centre and on the nearby wine estates.

The illustrated map is easy to navigate, and reveals a vast amount of works by internationally acclaimed artists such as Irma Stern, Cecil Skotnes, George Pemba and Lionel Smit.

The creative team behind Stellenbosch’s new map expect it to play a key role in boosting awareness of the town’s rich cultural heritage and art history, while also increasing tourism interest in each of the sites, and supporting local artists’ ongoing work.

Annemarie Ferns, CEO of Stellenbosch 360, the local tourism authority, said: “Stellenbosch has indeed become the art capital of South Africa. Its scenic and architectural beauty, vibrant communities and university life provide a natural canvas for artists and crafters alike to explore, enabling them to innovate and create to their heart’s desire.”

Stellenbosch Art Route map was officially launched on November 6 at SMAC Art Gallery on Church Street, Stellenbosch.

The map is available at the town’s Visitor Information Centre, museums, art galleries and online.

To access the map online, click here.