South African city ranked among the top 10 in the world
Cape Town has been ranked fifth in the world in Time Out’s 2026 Top 20 best cities for art and culture, noted for its layered and evolving cultural scene.
Each year, Time Out seeks to identify the world’s cultural capitals—places where locals and visitors can easily access and enjoy art collections, theatre, music, and cultural celebrations at affordable prices.
To compile this year’s list, Time Out surveyed 24,000 residents from over 150 cities, asking them to evaluate the quality and affordability of their local culture scene.
In addition, residents shared what their city excels at, whether it’s comedy, carnivals, live music, or literature.
The feedback was combined with insights from Time Out’s culture panel, which consists of editors, writers, and local experts who voted for the cities they consider the most exciting for culture and the arts at present.
To ensure the list represents the best cultural cities globally, Time Out said it included only the highest-scoring cities from each country.
“Africa’s collective creativity is anchored at the Zeitz MOCAA and in the Norval Foundation’s contemporary sculpture garden,” said Time Out Cape Town Editor Selene Brophy.
“You can catch the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra at City Hall, home to a bronze statue of Nelson Mandela honouring his first address to the nation after his release from prison.”
Additionally, the Labia, Baxter Theatre, and Artscape Theatre were highlighted as the city’s attractions.
“In 2026, Cape Town is experiencing a blockbuster year for art, brand-new cultural moments include the recent immersive digital art installation LUMENOCITY and the limited-edition Veuve Clicquot’s Emotions of the Sun’s Magnum Photos collaboration,” said Brophy.
Time Out reported that in its survey, Capetonians expressed strong approval for their city’s art and culture scene, giving it an 84% approval rating, along with a 60% score for affordability.
When asked what Cape Town excels at, 57% of respondents highlighted festivals, while 59% pointed to live music as the city’s strengths.
South Africa’s competitor
In Time Out’s top 20 cities for art and culture, London ranked first, followed by Paris, New York City, and Berlin in fourth place.
London is ranked the best city in the world for art and culture in 2026, due to its museums, food, and historic attractions, which place it in the spotlight.
“A vibrant food scene that caters to all palates and income brackets, residents drawn from all corners of the planet, historic attractions, genuinely walkable neighbourhoods and a mysterious shop on Essex Road that’s absolutely rammed full of taxidermied animals,” said UK Editor Joe Mackertich.
“Off the bat: there’s nowhere in the world with so many elite galleries and museums that are entirely free to visit.”
The Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration, located in Clerkenwell, will open in June and should be a priority for any art enthusiast, according to Mackertich.
Mackertich also highlighted that the new Museum of Youth Culture is finally debuting in the vibrant area of Camden Town.
Additionally, the Museum of London will reopen at the end of the year in its new location in Smithfield.
“The only way to experience it is to come and have a look for yourself. And that’s the best thing about London: you’re always welcome,” said Mackertich.
Alongside a strong 95% culture rating from Time Out’s panel of experts, 99% of Londoners said culture in the capital is either ‘good’ or ‘amazing’ in Time Out’s survey.
Equally impressive for this notoriously expensive city is that 60% of locals deem art and culture in London affordable.
The city scored particularly highly for theatre, with the strongest rating (90%) of all cities surveyed, closely followed by museums (88%) and art galleries (81%).
Loading ...