William Kentridge launches Centre for the Less Good Idea arts foundation in Johannesburg

South African artist William Kentridge has established a new arts foundation called the Centre for the Less Good Idea, located in the Arts on Main complex in Maboneng, Johannesburg. The foundation occupies a converted warehouse that also contains Kentridge's studio. Its mission is to offer a safe environment for uncertainty, doubt, stupidity, and failure. Kentridge criticized how art in South Africa is often constrained by funder demands, particularly from non-governmental organizations, which shape work based on proposal requirements rather than artistic best practices. The centre's inaugural season in March included performances, film screenings, and exhibitions. A second season is planned with a strong performative focus, involving electronic engineers, performers, and artists. This launch follows the closure of the long-established Johannesburg Art Gallery in February, highlighting reduced funding for public art institutions and the need for alternative spaces in South Africa.