Dalro extends deadline for 2026 Visual Art Merit Award application

Emerging and developing South African visual artists now have until 18 September 2026 to apply for VAMA 2026.

By CityLife Arts Writer

And so you have missed the deadline for this great visual art award. Not to worry because theDramatic, Artistic and Literary Rights Organisation (DALRO), in partnership with Bag Factory, LL Editions and William Humphreys Art Gallery (WHAG), has extended the application deadline for the 2026 DALRO Visual Arts Merit Award (VAMA) to Friday, 18 September 2026 at 23h59 (SAST). This then offers those that have missed the intial deadline, yet another opportunity to give it a shot.

The extension follows requests from prospective applicants for additional time to complete and submit their applications.

Established in 2024, VAMA is designed to support emerging and developing South African visual artists at a critical stage in their careers. The programme goes beyond recognition by providing artists with the professional knowledge, resources, mentorship, exposure and dedicated time needed to strengthen their practices and build sustainable careers.

“VAMA is more than a competition — it is a career accelerator.”

The 2026 programme will select 10 finalists, whose work will be presented in a group exhibition at DALRO in Johannesburg. The finalists will also participate in a professional development programme facilitated by industry experts, covering key areas of professional artistic practice, including exhibition development, business and financial management, writing and marketing, artistic identity and conceptual clarity, sustainable creative practice, contracts and dispute resolution, copyright, pricing and mental health.

From the 10 finalists, an adjudication panel will select a Winner and Runner-Up, each of whom will receive an extended development opportunity tailored to their artistic practice.

A 112–month development pathway for the winner

The Winner will undertake a 12-month development programme comprising two six-month residencies.

The first six months will take place at Bag Factory in Johannesburg from November 2026 to April 2027, providing dedicated time and space to develop a new body of work. The residency will include accommodation, materials and living support, mentorship, progress meetings and peer critique.

From May to October 2027, the Winner will undertake a further six-month residency at LL Editions, working with printmaker Joe Leshokato develop printmaking skills and explore the adaptation of work developed during the Bag Factory residency into limited-edition lithographs.

The Winner’s programme will culminate in a solo exhibition at Bag Factory, presenting the body of work developed through the residency alongside the resulting lithographs.

An eight-week residency for the runner-up R

The Runner-Up will undertake an eight-week residency at William Humphreys Art Gallery in Kimberley, providing dedicated time, space and professional support to develop a body of work aligned with their project proposal.

The residency will include accommodation, materials and living support, mentorship, progress meetings and peer critique, and will culminate in a solo exhibition at WHAG. 

Building more sustainable artistic careers

VAMA recognises that artistic talent alone is not enough to build a sustainable career.

Artists also need access to professional networks, industry knowledge, mentorship, resources, exhibition opportunities and the time and space to develop their work.

By bringing these elements together, DALRO and its partners aim to create a meaningful pathway for artists to move from potential to practice, and from practice to career.

The programme also reflects DALRO’s commitment to supporting creators and creating opportunities that enable emerging visual artists to strengthen their practices, gain professional exposure and develop sustainable careers.

Who can apply?

The 2026 award is open to South African visual artists aged 18 to 35who are citizens of South Africa and based in South Africa.

Applicants must be emerging or developing artists who are not represented by a gallery or artist manager and must have an arts and/or related qualification, community-based learning or other relevant training.

Applicants must also meet the programme’s requirements relating to previous prizes and solo exhibitions.

Artists working in painting, drawing, photography, textiles, tapestries, 3D works/sculpture, video and mixed-media installationsare eligible to apply, subject to the applicable submission requirements.

There is no entry fee.

How to apply

Applicants must submit one PDF containing the required application materials:

• Biography of no more than 500 words;

• Comprehensive CV;
• Artist statement of no more than 500 words;
• Portfolio of 5–10 high-resolution images of works created within the last 2–3 years;
• Certified copy of South African ID;
• Motivation letter of no more than 500 words;
• Completed entry form; and
• Project proposal responding to the objectives of the award.

The project proposal must address the development opportunities offered through both the Winner’s 12-month Bag Factory and LL Editions programmeand the Runner-Up’s eight-week WHAG residency, explaining what the applicant intends to create and how the opportunity would contribute to the development of their practice.

Applicants should consult the full VAMA application guidelines and requirements before submitting their applications.

Extended deadline

Applications have been extended to 23h59 (SAST) on Friday, 18 September 2026.

Applicants who have not yet submitted their applications are encouraged to use the additional time to complete their submissions and ensure that all required materials are included.

Applications can be submitted through the VAMA application facility on the DALRO website or by email to:

applications@dalro.co.za

Apply: www.dalro.co.za/VAMA

The 2026 adjudication panle

The 2026 adjudication panel comprises:

Chepape Makgato, Malikah Meyer, Joe Leshoka, Maria Fidel Regueros, Lazarus Serobe, Pat Mautloa, Odysseus Shirindza, and Tshepo Bopape.

The panel will assess submissions and select the Top Ten finalists based on artistic merit, originality and the applicant’s ability to fulfil the objectives of the award. The Winner and Runner-Up will be selected from the Top Ten.

The adjudicators’ decisions are final, and DALRO reserves the right to withhold the award if entries do not meet the required standard.

An opportunity to take the next step

With the application period now extended, VAMA provides emerging and developing South African visual artists with additional time to apply for a programme designed to support the next stage of their careers.

Through the combined expertise and resources of DALRO, Bag Factory, LL Editions and William Humphreys Art Gallery, VAMA 2026 offers artists a platform to develop the work, knowledge and professional confidence needed to build sustainable artistic practices.

Applications for the 2026 DALRO Visual Arts Merit Award remain open.