Media release
Zeitz MOCAA Welcomes Art Collector and Arts Advocate Jessica Nowitzki to its Board of Trustees
(Cape Town, Thursday, 4 June 2026): Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) is honoured to announce the appointment of Jessica Nowitzki to its Board of Trustees. A respected US-based arts professional, philanthropist, and member of the Zeitz MOCAA Global Council, of Kenyan and Swedish descent, Nowitzki has long been dedicated to promoting cultural exchange between Africa and the international art community.
Nowitzki joins Co-Founders and Co-Chairs David Green OBE and Jochen Zeitz, as well as Jody Allen on the Board of Trustees. The Board, working alongside the Museum’s executive leadership, including Acting Executive Director and Chief Operations Officer Fawaz Mustapha, functions as the institution’s primary governing body, providing the strategic oversight and fiduciary stewardship necessary to ensure long-term sustainability.
For close to two decades, Nowitzki has been active in the arts space, building collections focused on African American artists and artists from the diaspora. She serves on the board of the Dallas Museum of Art, and the advisory council of the Nasher Sculpture Center. She has also served as President of the Dirk Nowitzki Foundation since 2013. The foundation provides grants to children’s organisations centered on education and wellness to help children achieve their full potential—a mission that aligns with Zeitz MOCAA’s own commitment to education and community access.
As a groundbreaking institution dedicated to promoting and preserving contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora, Zeitz MOCAA continues to strengthen Board engagement and governance practices at every level of decision-making. Nowitzki’s appointment reinforces the institution’s role in elevating African voices within the global art ecosystem. Her proven track record in institutional governance makes her an invaluable asset as Zeitz MOCAA approaches its landmark 10th anniversary in 2027 and carries forward the vision that has shaped its institutional journey into the next decade.
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Issued by Zeitz MOCAA Communications.
About Zeitz MOCAA
Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) is a groundbreaking public not-for-profit institution that collects, preserves, researches, and exhibits contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora; conceives and hosts international exhibitions; develops supporting educational, discursive, and enrichment programmes; encourages intercultural understanding; and ensures access for all.
The Museum’s galleries feature rotating temporary exhibitions, with dedicated space for the permanent collection. The institution also includes the BMW Centre for Art Education and the Koyo Kouoh Atelier, a museum residency programme for artists living and working in Cape Town.
Zeitz MOCAA, situated at the Silo District, South Arm Road, V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, South Africa, is open Monday through Sunday, 10 am to 6 pm (last entry at 5.30 pm). zeitzmocaa.museum
About the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is the United States’ largest supporter of the arts and humanities. Since 1969, the Foundation has been guided by its core belief that the humanities and arts are essential to human understanding. The Foundation believes that the arts and humanities are where we express our complex humanity and that everyone deserves the beauty, transcendence and freedom that can be found there. Through our grants, we seek to build just communities enriched by meaning and empowered by critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive. mellon.org
About the BMW Group
With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. The BMW Group production network comprises over 30 production sites worldwide; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.
In 2023, the BMW Group sold over 2.55 million passenger vehicles and more than 209,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2023 was € 17.1 billion on revenues amounting to € 155.5 billion. As of 31 December 2023, the BMW Group had a workforce of 154,950 employees.
The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company set the course for the future at an early stage and consistently makes sustainability and efficient resource management central to its strategic direction, from the supply chain through production to the end of the use phase of all products. www.bmwgroup.com
Facts Only
* Jessica Nowitzki was appointed to the Board of Trustees of Zeitz MOCAA.
* Nowitzki is a US-based arts professional, philanthropist, and member of the Zeitz MOCAA Global Council.
* Nowitzki is of Kenyan and Swedish descent.
* Nowitzki joins David Green OBE, Jochen Zeitz, and Jody Allen on the Board of Trustees.
* The Board works with executive leadership, including Fawaz Mustapha.
* Nowitzki has been active in the arts space for close to two decades building collections focused on African American artists and diaspora artists.
* Nowitzki serves on the board of the Dallas Museum of Art and the advisory council of the Nasher Sculpture Center.
* Nowitzki served as President of the Dirk Nowitzki Foundation since 2013.
* The Dirk Nowitzki Foundation provides grants to children’s organizations centered on education and wellness.
* Zeitz MOCAA is set to approach its 10th anniversary in 2027.
Executive Summary
Jessica Nowitzki has been appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA). She is a US-based arts professional, philanthropist, and member of the Zeitz MOCAA Global Council, and she is of Kenyan and Swedish descent. She joins Co-Founders and Co-Chairs David Green OBE and Jochen Zeitz, along with Jody Allen, on the Board. The Board works with executive leadership, including Acting Executive Director and Chief Operations Officer Fawaz Mustapha, to provide strategic oversight for the institution's sustainability.
Nowitzki has a background in the arts, having built collections focused on African American artists and diaspora artists over two decades. She currently serves on the board of the Dallas Museum of Art and the advisory council of the Nasher Sculpture Center. She also served as President of the Dirk Nowitzki Foundation since 2013, which provides grants to children's organizations focused on education and wellness. Her experience in institutional governance is presented as an asset for Zeitz MOCAA as it approaches its 10th anniversary in 2027.
Full Take
The appointment of an individual with demonstrated experience in institutional governance, particularly concerning arts philanthropy and community-focused education, signals a strategic focus for Zeitz MOCAA’s trajectory toward sustainability and expanded influence. The narrative positions Nowitzki not merely as a donor or advocate but as a governance asset capable of reinforcing the institution's mission to elevate African voices within the global art ecosystem. The connection between her foundation's focus on education/wellness and Zeitz MOCAA's commitment to community access creates an alignment that moves beyond transactional support toward shared programmatic vision.
The pattern suggests a deliberate reinforcement of institutional legitimacy through strategic board composition, framing the museum's growth as intrinsically linked to external expertise in cultural stewardship. The implication is that for contemporary art institutions seeking global relevance, incorporating diverse, experienced perspectives—especially those bridging artistic practice with social responsibility—is viewed as essential for long-term viability rather than a supplementary gesture. This elevates governance beyond operational management into a realm of shared ethical and strategic accountability.
What assumptions underpin the narrative that experience in diaspora arts collection building translates directly into indispensable institutional governance skills? What mechanisms exist to ensure that board contributions reflect the breadth of the institution's diverse community access goals, and how does this integration support the goal of elevating African voices specifically within the global art ecosystem rather than simply reflecting existing power structures?