Empowering designers the Nando’s way: Andani.Africa celebrates emerging creatives in the sector

The company houses one of the largest contemporary southern African art collections, with over 25,000 artworks. Nando’s and Spier Arts Trust have collaborated to spotlight South African talent and enhance global exposure for local artists. By integrating contemporary African art into the decor of over 1,000 restaurants in 24 countries, this partnership not only boosts visibility for South African creativity, but also broadens the cultural reach of the Nando’s brand on an international scale. The company supports urban renewal projects like Jozi My Jozi, using arts and culture to help revitalise Johannesburg’s inner city and foster community pride.

Nando’s Hot Young Designer competition on social media invites creatives to showcase their work, helping discover new talent while offering emerging artists valuable exposure and career opportunities. The company’s Vusa Awards promote individual artists and offers them a chance to win significant prizes. The company's sponsorship of major events has been successfully executed to date, such as Contra.Joburg, which offers an opportunity for an exploration of the Jo’burg visual arts scene. “Portal to Africa” is an online marketplace created by Nando’s which allows interior designers for its global restaurants to order furniture directly from South African designers.

The company has set the tone and demonstrated a viable model for corporate-cultural partnerships. Nando’s commitment to the arts extends beyond simple sponsorship, reflecting a comprehensive strategy for cultural investment. This is a model of corporate involvement in the arts that can serve as an example for other commercial businesses, showing how these partnerships can be harnessed to support and nurture creative communities while achieving business goals.

Andani.Africa encourages businesses interested in exploring ways to strategically support the arts to reach out to us through the following avenues: email us at acirfa.inadna@olom, visit us at www.andani.africa and follow @andani.africa on all social media platforms.