Good Evening Friends of Irma Stern Museum,

We would like to continue to add updates and names to this Petition in order to ensure that we keep up the HEAT on 'ISM' until the successful re-opening of The Firs that would house The Irma Stern Museum Collection, and promote the life and times of Irma Stern - as promised on the 13 November 2025 at the public participation meeting, Nedbank Building, Cape Town.

Last week I sent a list of questions to Terry Behan, Spokesperson for The Irma Stern Management Committee (“ISM”), today I received his answers in going forward - we would like to hear your comments on the Answers below and feel free to comment on our Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/friends.of.irma.stern.museum/   Or e-mail editor@arttimes.co.za

Hi Gabriel, 

We hope to have some additional news to share in March for now kindly see our response below:
 
Question 1 to ISM: for both items i) and ii) is Who is on this advisory panel and what are their immediate plans –

(ISM Answer 1) We have been meeting with different stakeholders and potential advisory board members during February. We currently have a shortlist and are in the process of securing their respective participation. We hope to have this concluded in March 2026. 

Question 2 to ISM: Can ISM inform the public regarding the restoration work at The Firs - timeline and expected re-opening of the Firs as a museum to Irma Stern- as confirmed at the 13 November 2025 meeting etc –

(ISM Answer 2) Part of the process of constituting an advisory board is to seek different views from advisory board members on how we might go about conducting the necessary renovations to the Firs and concurrently ensure that it becomes accessible to the wider public. The advisory board once constituted will establish a museum committee to finalise and implement the formal process. 

Question 3 to ISM : What is the status of the collections, How will the categorizing of work kept back, sold or stored for later sales work? 

(ISM Answer 3) The primary works are currently in storage and on display at the Norval Foundation. The remainder of the collection is being packed and preserved at a museum grade facility offsite while we address the refurbishment requirements at the Firs. There is no plan for any additional sales from the Collection.

Question 4 to ISM: What are Nedbank’s objectives regarding the collections and the touring exhibitions hinted at last year. 

(ISM Answer 4) the primary works are currently on display at the Norval foundation, this is the opening chapter of an extensive 2-year exhibition programme that will focus on the different eras in Irma Stern’s work. See the Norval website for more information https://www.norvalfoundation.org/irma-stern-a-life-of-displacement/ A concurrent exhibition of portraits from the Collection is currently on show at Strauss & Co. We are in discussion with other museums and gallery spaces for further exhibitions in late 2026 and 2027.

Ends

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Read and Contribute to the follow up responses to the Stern Trust Public Engagement held at the Nedbank Building, Clock Tower, V&A Waterfront 13 November 2025 Here

https://www.facebook.com/friends.of.irma.stern.museum

Donations, The money donated to Change.org although very worthy does not come to us. Please find our FNB Account details on our Facebook Account to assure your donation lands in the right, accountable hands. or email us at editor@arttimes.co.za

We call on the Irma Stern™ Trust to provide transparency and accountability regarding the future of Irma Stern's The Firs and the Collections.

Irma Stern stipulated in her Will that on her death, which occurred in 1966, her collections (which included her own artworks as well as all her artefacts) were to be administered by a Committee of Trustees. These same Trustees entered an administrative agreement with UCT on the 11th of June 1969. The agreement resulted in Irma Stern's home, The Firs, opening in 1972 as the Irma Stern Museum.

For the last 50 years, the Irma Stern™ Trust and the University of Cape Town (UCT) have run The Firs as the Irma Stern Museum. The same Trust agreement provides for the return of the property (The Firs) to the Irma Stern™ Trust under the same conditions that allowed UCT to acquire it in 1969. Upon the dissolution of this management agreement, the Irma Stern™ Trust receives the property back for R1.00 plus costs.

The dissolution of this agreement was announced in a recent press release issued jointly by the Marketing Department of UCT and the Irma Stern™ Trust.

In a sale of 124 Irma Stern™ Trust works via the June 2022 Strauss & Co sale, a sum of R24 million was raised. These proceeds were earmarked for conservation of the artworks in the collection.

We would like to know the following from the Irma Stern Trust :

1. Where did the R24 million in proceeds go after the sale? How much was spent on administration and payment of dividends? How much does the Trust hold in assets and money at present?

2. Is the House and estate still in the Trust's name, or has all or parts of it already been sold off? If so, can the Trust explain how this was beneficial to Stern's Will?

3. Furthermore, what are the Trust's future plans to promote the life and legacy of Irma Stern, which includes Stern's home and her Estate?

4. No artwork or collection is to leave the Museum until SAHRA(South African Heritage Resources Agency), HWC (Heritage Western Cape) and the National Department of Arts, Culture and Sport resolve the matter.

5. That the Irma Stern™ Trust undertakes to renovate and restore The Firs/Irma Stern Museum to the highest conservation standards so that the Irma Stern Museum once again can welcome back visitors and safely accommodate the Irma Stern™ Collection administered by the Irma Stern™ Trust.

We also call upon The Minister of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, Mr Gayton Mackenzie, the Provincial Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Mr Ricardo Mackenzie, the Mayor of Cape Town, Mr Geordin Hill-Lewis to intervene, and the Cape Town Heritage Foundation and as many Art, Culture, Heritage aficionados and supporters of the Irma Stern Museum to sign and share this Petition.

The goal of this petition is to hold the Irma Stern™ Trust accountable and foster due process and public participation regarding the future of the Irma Stern Museum (The Firs) and the Irma Stern™ Trust collections.

For further information, questions and support email Gabriel  editor@arttimes.co.za