CITYLIFE/ARTS editor Edward Tsumele wins top heritage journalism award

Tsumele was declared the winner of the National Heritage Council Golden Shield Award for Heritage Journalism 2026 at a colourful ceremony held in Mbombela on Friday.

By CityLife Arts Writer

Seasoned arts journalist and writer Edward Tsumele was on Friday, September 25, 2026, awarded a top prize by the National Heritage Council (NHC) at Emnotweni Casino in Mmombela, Mpumalanga. The NHC is an agency of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, and its mandate is to preserve and promote South Africa’s rich heritage.

At a colourful ceremony attended by senior government officials, leading cultural figures and corporate executives, Tsumele was awarded the 2026 Heritage Journalism Award, joining other winners on the podium, who were declared heritage champions from around the country. The Golden Shield Award ceremony, which this year has entered its 13^th, was founded the NHC to owner institutions whose work has an impact in preserving and promoting South Africa’s diverse heritage. At the ceremony, which took place against the backdrop of Heritage Month, the venue was colourful as guests came proudly dressed in colourful various traditional garbs representing the diverse culture of South Africa. The award ceremony was punctuated by performances by local traditional groups and vocal talent.

Tsumele’s award is in recognition of the stories he has written and were published in CITYLIFE/ARTS, a leading specialist arts publication that focuses on visual art, theatre and literature. Tsumele is Editor and founder of CITYLIFE/ARTS, which turns 10 next year, and has since its founding, become an influential voice in visual art, theatre, and literature in the country.

The publication continues to attract experienced and decorated arts journalists, who contribute articles to the publication, which is regularly updated and has become a reliable voice of the creative sector, with its insightful articles at the intersection of theatre, visual art and literature, contributing to the health of the vibrant contemporary arts scene in South Africa.

“This award is important, as in many ways, is a recognition of the important work that CITYLIFE/ARTS consistently publishes, not only capturing important events, poignant moments in South African contemporary art, but also archiving the work that is produced by artists. The various bodies of work that artists working in the areas of visual art, theatre and literature produce, ensure that the narrative of the country’s visual art, theatre and literature is shaped with authenticity by various role players who are part of the country’s vibrant cultural and artistic ecosystem,” said Tsumele, after receiving the award.

“This recognition, has also come at a critical time for arts journalism, as the sector has over the past 15 years, or so, lost experienced arts journalist to the private sector and government, where they work as spokespersons. The fact that the media is currently facing challenges due to the evolution of new technologies that are a threat to the viability and existence of tradition media, has affected particularly arts journalism significantly,” he reflects.

Tsumele adds that the irony though, is that in the face of shrinking space for arts journalism in general newspapers, CITYLIFE/ARTS is increasingly filling that void, as a publication that features insightful articles, informed reviews and thought leadership articles on visual art, theatre and literature, and by default, becoming the to-go-to publication for a discerning reader who interest lies in quality arts journalism.

“Therefore, this award though awarded to me as an individual, is in essence, a recognition of the quality of arts journalism featured in the publication that its  contributing writers produce, Monday to Friday,” he concludes and revealed that new interesting features will soon be introduced on the platform.

Tsumele has consistently written on arts and culture for various titles in South Africa for over 25 years, including for Sunday Times, Sunday Independent, Sowetan, Business Day, and Financial Mail, before founding CITYLIFE/ARTS in 2017, as either arts pages shrunk, or entire arts supplements were discontinued to cut costs in traditional mainstream media, as advertising budgets were significantly shifted to new global media platforms, such as Google, Facebook and Linkedin.