Art Source South Africa
Art Source South Africa
visual arts project management consultancy :

About Art Source South Africa

Training, mentorship, coaching, career guidance and exhibition curation.

Achieving success as a visual artist is not only about creating meaningful art. It requires a well-considered and astute combination of the production of quality art, opportunity and management to develop a career from a talent.
“I want to formally place on record our enormous appreciation to you for your contributions to the success of this year’s Festival. I am delighted at the outcome of our partnership and I trust that we will be able to continue to move forward together into the future”. Ismail Mahomed. Artistic Director, National Arts Festival.
“Les, to which we also like to express our gratitude for her dedication and extremely professional approach to this entire project”. Vera Weidemeijer – Senior Policy Officer Public Diplomacy & Media , Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands – Signs of Solidarity project (July 2014)
“Thanks once again for all your hard work and thought that you put into the show. Much appreciated and what a pleasure working with such expertise! Les you are so knowledgeable and have such a wonderful way of putting your thoughts together and express yourself”. Artist exhibitor -The Spiritual in the Material exhibition, Lizamore & Associates Gallery, Jhb 2015

Art Source South Africa

About us

Established in 2001 by Les Cohn as a visual arts project management consultancy. Art Source South Africa has a 21 year proven track record and excellent reputation by a commitment to transparency and professionalism. It occupies a unique niche and offers selected professional services to the contemporary arts sector.

Training, mentorship, coaching, career guidance and exhibition curation are core services offered to artists and other industry players. Project management consulting and limited dealing mainly to the museum and corporate market in contemporary South African art is also undertaken. Collaboration is a focus of Art Source South Africa. Experience has proved it creates mutual benefit and maximizes the impact of a programme or project. Clients have ranged from individual contemporary artists, museums and galleries, corporations, educational institutions, foundations and non-profit organisations.

Sylt Foundation Artist Residency Award, Sylt,Germany
SA Taxi Foundation Taxi Award 2015
leonard
Curator & Opening Speaker. Sacred geometry. Artist Gordon Froud 2019 Image courtesy Lawrence Moorcroft
Turbine Art Fair, Jhb 2014
Sasol Wax Art Award Finalists 2006
Installing Remnants at Oliewenhuis Art Museum, Bloemfontein 2018
Thami Mnyele Award 2016
Signs of Solidarity touring project, Royal Netherlands Embassy
ACBC 2019 BF Bibliotheca Exhibition
Paul Emmanuel Remnants

Selected previous projects

Taxi Book series, Master of Arts in the Public Sphere Programme (MAP), The Ampersand Foundation, Phumani Paper, Sasol Ltd (Sasol Wax Art Award), ABSA L’Atelier Award, Royal Netherlands Embassy (Signs of Solidarity), Keiskamma Art Project, Sylt Foundation Artist Residency & African Writers Award, Thami Mnyele Fine Art Award, Isimangaliso Art Project, Phatshoane Henney Art Award, !Kauru African Contemporary Art project, Central University of Technology (CUT)…

Selected previous projects

SA Taxi Foundation Award, VANSA (CT), Oliewenhuis Art Museum, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum, William Humphreys Art Gallery, Pretoria Art Museum, Vaal University of Technology (VUT), Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), University of Johannesburg (UJ), The Bag Factory and Artist Proof Studios, Johannesburg, amongst others…

Previous Training Courses

July 2022: Appointed as a Selector to Ceramics South Africa Regional Awards. Exhibition opening speaker

August 2023: Art Source South Africa presented a one day Professional Practice in the Visual Arts workshop titled The World Outside Your Studio in association with Die Kunshuis hosted by Broadlands Manor, Somerset West.

September 2023: A presentation to the Constantiaberg Art Society, Cape Town

August – November 2023: I presented a four week Professional Practice extended training programme titled the Business of Being and Artist (BOBA), focussed on entrepreneurship in association with the Meta Foundation, at August House, Johannesburg. It culminated in a public exhibition of the participant’s artworks created during the course. Funded by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation.

January – February 2024: Art Source South Africa, again in association with the Meta Foundation, presented a two week Professional Practice course focussed on entrepreneurial development at August House, Johannesburg. A public exhibition was presented after programme ended. Funded by DSAC.

The Business of Being an Artist.
Les Cohn
The Business of Being an Artist.
The Business of Being an Artist.
world outside

About Les Cohn

The Presenter, coach and consultant

Les Cohn is a qualified artist, dynamic arts project consultant, trainer and curator with many year’s experience who is well networked within the South African cultural sector.

“It’s about understanding the art you create and guiding you on where your work and you, the artist, fit into the market.” Les Cohn, Art Source Career Coach

Download Les' Biography