Berman proves that art changes worlds

For Kim Berman, art has never simply been about what hangs on a wall. It’s been a tool for activism, education, and social change, she said on accepting the Art, Sport, Science, and Culture Award at the 2026 Investec Jewish Achiever Awards on 1 November. 

From discovering printmaking as a language of resistance and democracy to founding Artist Proof Studio in 1991, Berman has spent more than three decades creating opportunities for young South African artists who might otherwise have been excluded from formal art education. 

That lifelong belief in the power of art to transform lives was recognised when Berman received her award. 

Berman’s belief in art as a force for change began taking shape long before Artist Proof Studio opened its doors. Exposed to art from a young age, it was during her university years, amid the political realities of apartheid South Africa, that her creativity and activism began to intersect. 

“I grew up in a family that instilled in us the belief that each of us has a purpose. My three sisters, Lori, Cindy, and Hayley, and I have each found ways to be activists in our own fields. Mine is art. But can art change the world? Can it advance social justice and equality? Can it save lives? These questions have been at the heart of my life’s work. 

“Artists imagine a different world. They look outside of the margins and challenge and change the shape of things. They bring beauty and hope into places of despair and seek to change the way we think as well as what we do,” she said on accepting her award. 

Printmaking offered her a way to engage with ideas of democracy, human rights, and resistance. 

Berman co-founded Artist Proof Studio in Johannesburg in 1991, creating an alternative space for aspiring artists who lacked access to formal tertiary art education. 

“At Artist Proof Studio, young people arrive with talent and dreams, but financial hardship and educational barriers often stand in their way. We offer a nurturing space where they can discover their potential and shape their future. I believe that a single spark of inspiration can ignite a chain reaction of creativity, a fire that generates heat and light in sometimes dark and cold places. I am so proud to have helped bring Artist Proof Studio into the world in partnership with so many others,” she said. 

After 35 years and with hundreds of artists trained, what keeps the studio going is the conviction that art matters in transforming society. 

“It gives young artists a voice, makes their work visible, and enables them to pursue their dreams. We remain committed to providing education without fees, made possible through the generosity of artists, collectors, patrons, and partners. Communities like this one make our work possible, so thank you for believing in us, for your generosity, and for your continued support,” she told the awards ceremony guests. 

“Art brings us joy, opens our eyes, gives us hope, and helps us imagine and create a better world. As John Lennon said, ‘A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.’”