A new gallery called Art of Contemporary Africa (AOCA) will open on February 12, 2026, at San Francisco's Minnesota Street Project in the Dogpatch neighborhood. Founded by gallerist Craig Mark and artist Clint Strydom, it is the city's first and only gallery dedicated to contemporary Pan-African art. The inaugural exhibition, “Afropop,” will feature works by artists including Esther Mahlangu, Denis Mubiru, Ayanda Mabulu, Samuel Allerton, and Vusi Beauchamp. The gallery builds on the founders' decade of experience running The Melrose Gallery in South Africa, which will become AOCA's sister site.
The opening is significant for San Francisco's art scene, which has seen several gallery closures in recent months. AOCA aims to address the underrepresentation of African contemporary artists in the American market by providing a dedicated platform for exhibitions and cultural exchange. The founders cite demographic trends—young Africans are projected to make up 42% of the world's youth by 2030—as a driving reason to amplify African voices globally. The gallery also reinforces Dogpatch's reputation as a creative hub and offers a new venue for collectors and audiences to engage with diverse African talent.