The Living Gallery: Stays Offering an Insider Lens on Global Art Scenes
- Anna Gilchrist
- Jun 2
- 8 min read
In 2026, art has transcended decor to become one of the most compelling ways to understand a destination’s identity. Data from Grand View Research (GVR) points to a growing demand for travel rooted in culture, history, and creative expression. According to GVR, the heritage tourism market was estimated at $624.55 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $936.97 billion by 2033. Similarly, GVR also showed the art tourism market was estimated at $45.22 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $54.44 billion by 2033.
This shift can be seen throughout the journeys that travel planners and operators are offering. Go2Africa, an award-winning safari operator, has even introduced its own 8-day “Art of Safari” itinerary. Travelers are treated to immersive, curator-led tours of the dramatic Dylan Lewis Sculpture Garden in Stellenbosch, storytelling street art walks through Cape Town’s oldest township, and private lunches hosted by local artists. Each stay remains art-centric, with art woven throughout each South African hotel, be it in the bush, the city, or the winelands.
In response to this growing demand, the worlds of hospitality and fine art are inextricably intertwined. Travelers are no longer choosing a hotel simply for its location, but for the unique access and artistic point of view it provides. Below, we explore four properties offering rare, completely exclusive cultural experiences you cannot get anywhere else, keeping guests engrossed in the region’s cultural journey at every moment.
Cheetah Plains | South Africa — Goodman Gallery 60th Anniversary and New Works
ÀNI Private Resorts | Dominican Republic — ÀNI Art Academies
The Pinnacle Kigali | Rwanda — Pan-African Art Collection
Volcanoes Safaris Kibale Lodge | Uganda — Rwenzori Sculpture Foundry & Gallery
Cheetah Plains | South Africa — Goodman Gallery New Works and 60th Anniversary
Cheetah Plains, reimagines the traditional safari experience through an exclusive, bush-based art partnership with Goodman Gallery, one of South Africa’s leading and longest standing contemporary art galleries. This partnership introduced a curated art space, as well as a bespoke hang of contemporary artworks across its three striking villas. As the first curation of its kind in the South African bush, the collaboration represents a profound convergence of fine art, conservation, and sustainability, designed to empower local communities while engaging guests in a meaningful cultural experience.
In May 2026, Goodman Gallery refreshed the entire collection, debuting striking works across the property. The collaboration presents new curated exhibitions and site-responsive installations by leading South African and international artists, adding a unique cultural layer to the safari, with access solely reserved for villa residents.
Art is seamlessly integrated into every moment of the stay, transforming each villa into a living gallery space. Guests are invited to enjoy a private art tour of the curated works within their villa, as well as a guided walking tour of the Cheetah Plains Art Collection displayed across the property. As a rare, commemorative souvenir, guests have the opportunity to purchase directly from the walls, with the property organizing global shipping of selected works for each guest's personal collections.
This refresh coincides with a milestone moment, as Goodman Gallery celebrates its 60th anniversary. Founded in Johannesburg during the height of apartheid as a non-discriminatory space, the gallery has spent six decades challenging power structures and fostering social change. Now with a global footprint operating out of Cape Town, London, and New York, the gallery remains a preeminent platform for artists from Africa and the Global South. This anniversary reflects on the innovators and artists whose work has reshaped the contemporary art world and continues to provide a voice for those who challenge it.
Opened in 2018, Cheetah Plains is home to the exclusive-use luxury villa and sustainable safari experience nestled in South Africa’s most celebrated wildlife area, the Sabi Sand Nature Reserve. The eco-luxe experience includes three private villas with four guest bush suites that accommodate up to eight guests each with its own formal lounge, living and dining areas, expansive swimming pool, and outdoor deck that operates off-grid. Each villa comes with a complete hospitality team consisting of an accomplished host, butler, culinary team, and spa therapist, as well as an expert field guide and tracker dedicated to you for the duration of your stay. Families and children of all ages are welcome to experience their own personalized safari, guided bush walks, wellness offerings, fitness gym, and tailored activities for kids. Cheetah Plains sets the standard in South Africa for zero-emission game-viewing utilizing its own fleet of solar-charged Land Cruiser Electric Safari vehicles. A luxury sustainable safari that is beyond expectations.
ÀNI Private Resorts | Dominican Republic — ÀNI Art Academies
ÀNI Private Resorts, the world’s first private resort concept, brings local artistry to life through its ÀNI Art Academies. This non-profit network of art schools is dedicated to uplifting individuals from local, underprivileged communities near each property through the transformative power of art. Inspired by the idea that a fine arts education could bring opportunities to those who might need it, the private resorts were originally created to fund this vision. Guests may be surprised to find that much of the breathtaking artwork displayed across its properties has been commissioned from local artists who graduated from the Academy. Rather than just viewing the pieces, guests are invited to visit the Academy, dropping into the studios to watch students work on new pieces.
The ÀNI Art Academies Dominicana studios are located on a beautiful four acre site on the rural, north side of the Island. Students of the ÀNI Art Academies undergo a rigorous four-year curriculum developed by Anthony J. Waichulis. Graduates have gone on to lead highly successful careers as sought-after artists and art educators, benefiting their families and communities alike.
For travelers looking for a personalized memento they can purchase available prints or commission bespoke, original works with all proceeds going directly back to the artists. This collaboration fuels the program, which is entirely funded by resort profits to ensure tuition, tools, and housing remain free for the students.
About ÀNI Private Resorts:
Across the Earth’s most secluded corners, ÀNI Private Resorts pioneers the private resort concept, reimagined as an exclusive space for meaningful connection. With a collection of private, all-inclusive estates in Anguilla, the Dominican Republic, Thailand, and Sri Lanka, each ÀNI property is exclusively reserved for one group at a time, creating an intimate setting designed to bring people closer together. Accommodating up to 20–30 guests, ÀNI ensures absolute privacy with a dedicated hospitality team delivering a fully personalized experience. Each stay is all-encompassing, with bespoke dining, daily wellness and spa offerings, and custom adventures thoughtfully designed to be shared. In January 2027, ÀNI will introduce its newest flagship resort on Shoal Bay in Anguilla, marking a significant evolution of the brand’s Caribbean offering. Rooted in the belief that travel is most meaningful when shared, ÀNI extends its commitment beyond its guests through the ÀNI Art Academy, a non-profit supported by resort profits that empowers local talent through fine art education.
The Pinnacle Kigali | Rwanda — Pan-African Art Collection
Kigali has outgrown its reputation as a mere stopover on the way to a Rwandan gorilla trek, now defined by its thriving city life. The capital offers a mix of exquisite restaurants, bars, independent galleries, and shopping for visitors to linger throughout its streets. For an immersive experience, the newly opened Pinnacle Kigali stands as Rwanda's premier luxury urban hotel and private members club. Recently welcomed into the prestigious Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) portfolio as its first Rwandan property–and named one of Time’s World’s Greatest Places in 2026–the boutique hotel has redefined the urban stay. It gently invites guests to relax and unwind from days spent trekking or experiencing Kigali’s vibrant creative scene.
The highlight of the experience is private access to the Pinnacle’s private collection of pan-African art. Handpicked from the collection of owner Sheila Kyarisiima, the curated pieces span various styles and mediums, but beautifully come together to represent the colorful stories and vivid characters of the continent. The art is integrated into a setting that feels like an intimate private home rather than a sterile gallery. The hotel staff can provide personalized, guided tours of the collection exclusively for guests.
Beyond the hotel, the staff can arrange visits to must-see local galleries and museums, including the newly debuted Gihinga Institute of Contemporary Art (GICA). GICA officially joined the Rwandan cultural landscape in December 2025, bringing together artists, gallerists and collectors from across the globe. As a non-profit center, GICA is dedicated to elevating Rwandan and regional voices through thoughtful exhibitions and a commitment to intellectual and artistic exchange. For guests of the Pinnacle, GICA offers a beautiful way to experience the capital’s expanding contemporary art scene from an insider perspective.
The Pinnacle is a nine-room ultra-luxury boutique retreat perched on Rebero Hill, overlooking Rwanda’s vibrant capital. Following a celebrated soft opening and the launch of its members club, The Pinnacle will welcome international guests in January 2026, positioning itself as one of East Africa’s most distinctive luxury destinations. The property redefines exclusivity in Kigali with world-class design, panoramic views, and curated experiences for a maximum of just 18 guests. Beyond its infinity pool, private cinema lounge, and four-lane bowling alley, the retreat features a spa and wellness sanctuary, fitness center, and courts for tennis, padel, and basketball. Culinary offerings include a teppanyaki counter and Afro-Asian fusion dining, complemented by a refined selection of international wines. Designed as both a sanctuary and a destination, The Pinnacle blends modern sophistication with Rwandan warmth, serving as the perfect city hotel pairing for those in Rwanda to experience mountain gorilla trekking or immerse themselves in Kigali’s cultural vibrancy.
Volcanoes Safaris Kibale Lodge | Uganda — Rwenzori Sculpture Foundry & Gallery
Kibale Forest National Park is celebrated as the primate capital of the world, home to a thriving community of over 1,500 chimpanzees. For travelers journeying to this remote corner of western Uganda to trek chimp families, Volcanoes Safaris Kibale Lodge makes for a spectacular spot, sitting right on a ridge with stunning views of the Rwenzori Mountains, Queen Elizabeth plains, and Kazinga channel. Guests arriving at the iconic lodge are immediately welcomed by a striking bronze sculpture, commissioned by Volcanoes Safaris from the nearby Rwenzori Sculpture Foundry and Gallery.
For guests looking to bridge their days with the region’s creative heritage, Kibale Lodge can arrange exclusive visits to the nearby Rwenzori Sculpture Foundry and Gallery, an award-winning sculpture gallery and bronze foundry tucked beneath the Rwenzori Mountains. The creative hub offers local sculptors a platform to have their visions cast into bronze. Among the gallery's most striking installations is a series of over thrift Ugandan Clay Totems. Researched and designed by British sculptor Job Buck in collaboration with local tribes, these works beautifully preserve regional oral traditions in enduring metal.
Through artist residencies and collaborations, the works of rising Ugandan artists sit alongside pieces by leading European sculptors. Every creation is inspired by the people, culture, wildlife and landscape of Uganda. During their studio visit, guests can interact with the creators, purchase existing pieces, or commission their own custom bronze works directly from the source–the perfect memento to mark an unforgettable journey.
Volcanoes Safaris is recognized as the leader in great ape ecotourism specializing in mountain gorilla and chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda and Uganda since 1997. Its curated mountain gorilla, chimpanzee, and wildlife safaris to the finest Great Ape sites in Rwanda and Uganda give a unique insight into the world of the endangered great apes, their habitats, and the communities that live nearby.
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