The Standard Bank Gallery is an exciting exhibition space situated in the heart of downtown Johannesburg. Since it opened in 1990, it has become one of the city's foremost fine art venues.

The gallery offers a dynamic exhibition programme, in keeping with its aim of promoting South African art and enhancing the Standard Bank's image as an institution that cares about cultural development. It is operated on a non-commercial basis.

Each year the gallery shows works by the cream of the local art world. One of its most popular events is the annual exhibition by the incumbent winner of the Standard Bank Young Artist of the Year Award. The winners of the award are chosen on merit for their sometimes controversial work. They include William Kentridge (1987), Jane Alexander (1995), Sam Nhlengethwa (1994), Pippa Skotnes (1993), Tommy Motswai (1992), Andries Botha (1991), and Bonnie Ntshalintshali with Fee Halstead-Berning (1990). Many of these artists later went on to achieve international acclaim.

The gallery has also hosted retrospective exhibitions by key South African artists, including Irma Stern, Gerard Sekoto and Cyprian Shilakoe. Contemporary South African artists such as Edoardo Villa, Penny Siopis, Noel Hodnett, Allina Ndebele and Karel Nel have also lent their vibrant creative energies to the gallery.

Visitors who expect the gallery to keep abreast of international fine art trends are not disappointed. In 2000, with the Marc Chagall exhibition, the Standard Bank Gallery was the first institution to bring original works by a 20th century European artist to South Africa. This was followed by the equally successful Joan Miro exhibition in 2002.

The gallery has excellent acoustics and regularly hosts concerts and recitals. Guided tours of exhibitions for school groups form part of the bank's outreach programme.