Ugandan artist Katesi Jacqueline Kalange wins the prestigious Cassirer Welz Award
Winning this award positions her as the artist to watch on the continent’s contemporary visual art scene in the next few years to come, especially because in recent years the artist has already enjoyed a number of prestigious artist residencies globally.
By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE/ARTS Editor
Ugandan artist Katesi Jacqueline Kalange’s career trajectory is poised to soar after winning the prestigious Cassirer Welz award that supports young African artists that show potential.
Katesi Jacqueline Kalange was declared the winner at a function held at Strauss & Co’s offices in Johannesburg on Tuesday, 9 June 2026, ahead of other finalists that included Ibrahim Bamidele (Nigeria), Oteng Keabetswe (Botswana), Shandré Lummis-Rabie (South Africa) and Ukhona Mthethwa (South Africa).
The award ceremony is annually co-organised by Strauss &Co and The Bag Factory Artist Studios, based in Fordsburg, Johannesburg. The Cassirer Welz award when it was initially founded was first open to South African visually artists only, but in recently years, has been extended to the rest of the continent, with previous winners having hailed from a number of African countries, besides South Africa.
In the past winners have hailed from Zimbabwe, Nigeria, South Africa, and now Uganda has been added top the list of countries that produce top visual art minds.
Previous South African Cassirer Welz awardees include Levy Pooe, Richard ‘Spec” Ndimade, and Blessing Ngobeni, who is currently enjoying success in his career, as his art is popular with collectors.
“We are pleased to announce that Katesi Jacqueline Kalange is the 2026 winner of the Cassirer Welz Award. She has been awarded a 3-month artist’s residency at Bag Factory Artists’ Studios, which will culminate in a solo exhibition,”said the organisers in a joint statement release after the announcement of the 2026 awardee.
Strauss & Co, in association with Bag Factory Artists’ Studios, announced the winner of the prestigious Cassirer Welz Art Award for 2026 in Johannesburg on Tuesday, 9 June. The morning programme opened with remarks from Strauss & Co Executive Director and Senior Auctioneer, Bina Genovese and Bag Factory Board Chairperson Veronica King, who reflected on the significance of the partnership and its continued support of emerging artistic talent.
Artist, curator and Strauss & Co cataloguer, Richard Ndimande, who is also the 2017 winner of the Cassirer Welz Award), introduced the five finalists who briefly spoke about their art practices and the projects that earned them a place on this year’s shortlist. This year’s finalists included Ibrahim Bamidele (Nigeria), Katesi Jacqueline Kalange (Uganda), Oteng Keabetswe (Botswana), Shandré Lummis-Rabie (South Africa) and Ukhona Mthethwa (South Africa).
The event was also attended by Blessing Ngobeni, recipient of the 2012 Cassirer Welz Award, who shared insights into his career and artistic journey. Ngobeni reminded the finalists to lean into the power of community and collaboration, noting: “As you pursue your artistic journey, remember that you are not alone. Seek mentors, connect with fellow artists, and engage in your community. Don’t hesitate to ask for guidance. The art world thrives on relationships and support systems,” he said.
About the Award
The Cassirer Welz Art Award is one of South Africa’s most respected art prizes, celebrating emerging contemporary artists from across the Sub-Saharan region. Established in 2011 by Nobel Laureate Nadine Gordimer in honour of her late husband Reinhold Cassirer, and later renamed to also honour Stephan Welz, the award has been instrumental in launching the careers of its recipients, helping them gain recognition in the South African art market.
“It is an honour for Strauss & Co to continue to sponsor the CWA and to be able to witness the growth of the incredible talent we have in this country and beyond,” expressed Bina Genovese, Strauss & Co’s Executive Director and Senior Auctioneer.
The prize provides the winning artist with a prestigious residency at Bag Factory Artists’ Studios, including mentorship, professional development opportunities, curatorial support, and a solo exhibition. Over the past sixteen years, the award has helped launch the careers of many acclaimed contemporary artists working across painting, sculpture, drawing, textile and mixed media practices.
“Past winners have gone on to exhibit nationally and internationally, participate in prestigious residencies, pursue further study, teach, mentor emerging artists and contribute significantly to the cultural landscape both here in South Africa and across the world”, shared the Board Chairperson of the Bag Factory, Veronica King.
About Katesi Jacqueline Kalange
Katesi Jacqueline Kalange is a Ugandan visual artist who holds a Bachelor’s degree (2018) and a Master’s degree (2023) in Art and Industrial Design from Kyambogo University, Uganda. Central to her practice is weaving, which functions as both a technique and a conceptual lens. Each interlaced thread mirrors ecological networks, ancestral knowledge and the entanglements between humans, non-humans and place. Kalange’s practice emphasises community collaboration, drawing inspiration from the ways our forebears organised, shared and co-created knowledge; a model that contrasts with the individualistic tendencies of our contemporary capitalist society.
Her recent solo presentations include Weaving Our Past, Present and Future (2024) at the MIASA Department, University of Ghana; Metamorphosis (2024) at GAS Foundation, Lagos; and Badere (2023) at Nubuke Foundation’s Wa-Loho Centre for Clay and Textiles, Ghana. Alongside these solo exhibitions, the artist has also exhibited internationally in group shows, in the Mauritius International Art Fair (2023), Art Connects Women: Dare to Dream (2023) in Dubai and Pink Flame (2022) in Nairobi.
Kalange’s recognitions include the Goethe-Zentrum Kampala Small Project Grant (2021), the Prince Claus Mentorship Award (2021), selection for the inaugural Venice Architecture Biennale College (2023), and a Residency Research Fellowship at the University of Ghana (2024). In 2026, she was shortlisted for the Henrike Grohs Art Award. Kalange has also participated in residencies at Nubuke Foundation’s Wa-Loho Centre for Clay and Textiles, GAS Foundation in Lagos, the MIASA Department at the University of Ghana, and the Delfina Foundation in London.