Who we are

Artist Proof Studio (APS) is an innovative and engaged community printmaking centre of excellence based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Our organisation is dedicated to every aspect of professional printmaking, including creation, training, sales, and community engagement. Established in 1991 by Kim Berman and the late Nhlanhla Xaba, APS was founded to reflect the spirit of a democratic South Africa. From its beginnings, APS has used printmaking as a powerful medium for artistic excellence, education, and social change.

Education

Our mission is the transformation of passion into possibility, empowering talented individuals to shape a better future for themselves and their communities, primarily through our education unit. Upon graduation, our students join a community of artists who continue to support and inspire one another. Their work becomes a part of a larger conversation, exhibited in galleries and art fairs.

Gallery

Our gallery is a hub of artistic expression with an extensive collection of prints created by our alumni and collaborating artists. We actively participate in art fairs across South Africa including Cape Town Art Fair, Turbine Art Fair, FNB Joburg Art Fair and RMB Latitudes. We also bring printmaking closer to the community by hosting pop-up shows at corporate events and forging partnerships with other galleries, making art accessible and engaging for everyone.

Pro Studio

The Professional Printmaking Studio is an income-generating unit that facilitates print editions and collaborations between artists and a team of technicians. It specialises in fine-art printing mediums such as intaglio, etching, relief printing, screen printing and lithography, as well as providing state of the art equipment and materials for printmaking collaborations.

Meet the APS Team

About APS

Vision and Mission 

At Artist Proof Studio, we cultivate talented individuals with shared values, grounded in Ubuntu, to achieve artistic excellence. Through our education and outreach programmes, we aim to build capacity, promote self-actualisation, and make a lasting impact in the communities we serve. Our vision is of a society where passionate individuals thrive creatively and economically, empowered through printmaking.

Core values: I SEE U

Innovation: Embracing change and creativity as a foundation for growth.
Self-awareness: Encouraging personal growth and diversity among staff, students, and artists.
Engagement: We foster engagement among our students, professional artists, staff, and the wider community, bridging our studio work with the wider community.
Excellence: Promoting "excellence through possibility" by pushing the boundaries of printmaking.
Ubuntu: Fostering a safe and respectful environment through empathy and mutual care.

Background 

Artist Proof Studio (APS) was founded by Kim Berman and the late Nhlanhla Xaba to reflect the values of democracy and non-racialism embedded in South Africa’s new constitution. APS became a registered NGO (Section 21) in 1993/4 and a Public Benefit Organisation (PBO) in 2005.

In 2003, a tragic fire claimed the life of co-founder Nhlanhla Xaba and destroyed the original studio premises. Despite this devastating loss, APS continued to grow, rebuilding and relocating to the Bus Factory in Newtown. In 2021, we moved to our current home at Isle of Houghton Office Park, a purpose-designed studio space better suited to our evolving programmes and growth.

Education, Empowerment, and Impact

APS provides quality arts education to talented students who would otherwise not have access to tertiary education due to economic or educational inequality. Our education programme has graduated over 500 young artists in the past three decades. Many have gone on to support themselves and their families and to contribute meaningfully to the South African and global creative economies.

We are proud to have established ourselves as both a local and international centre of printmaking excellence. Our alumni include internationally recognised artists such as Phillemon Hlungwani  Bambo Sibiya, Mongezi Ncaphayi, Lebohang Motaung, Mbali Tshabalala, Lindo Zwane, and many others. Our professional studio, Pro-Shop, enables collaboration with emerging and established artists to produce exceptional print editions.

Through our gallery and marketing initiatives, Artist Proof Studio showcases the work of our artists across digital platforms, art fairs, partner exhibitions, and alternative spaces. These collaborations and engagement-driven activations allow us to connect with wider audiences and promote South African printmaking on the world stage, while continuing to shape its future and expand the reach of our creative economy.

Looking Ahead: 35 Years of Printmaking Excellence

As we approach 2026, Artist Proof Studio celebrates 35 years of shaping South Africa’s visual arts landscape through printmaking, education, and community empowerment.
This milestone reflects our ongoing commitment to nurturing artists from all backgrounds, fostering innovation, and building a more inclusive creative economy. We remain dedicated to expanding access to arts education and securing a permanent space that continues to serve future generations of printmakers. You can support this legacy in three meaningful ways:

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    Help Us Build a Home for APS

    Help secure our future by contributing to our long-term vision of a permanent home for APS

    Email Us to Pledge Support
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    Become an APS Patron

    Invest in South African art by purchasing original works from emerging and established artists

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    Purchase Prints

    Invest in South African art by purchasing original works from emerging and established artists

    Purchase Prints Online