Standard Bank Young artists for 2025 announced at a glittering ceremony on Thursday night

Those awarded this year are young people sought out and awarded for real talent and not for simply being popular in the public imagination.

By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE/ARTS Editor

When I arrived at the Untitled Basement, a music venue that has become associated with hosting live music, particularly jazz in Johannesburg, owned by veteran DJ Kenzero on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, I immediately noticed that besides some of the few media people that i know, there appeared to be no familiar faces among the people that i could identify as artists. I have worked in the arts space as a journalist for the past 25 years, across music, film, TV, theatre visual art, literature and dance, and therefore pretty much know several roles players in this field.

But on Wednesday, I was quite surprised that I could not immediately identify anybody in the venue that i could guess was the reason why we were asked to be there in the first place by the organisers of the Standard bank young Artist Awards. I made this point loud to my friends, and they too were not sure whether among the crowd in the room there were artists.

Just to give context, Standard Bank had invited us to the venue to introduce to us ahead of the announcement last night, April 10, 2025, at the Campus Forum in Bryanston who the winning artists this year are. of course, this was an embargoed information that we could not publish till Thursday, 9pm April 10, 2025. We were sworn to secrecy a gentlemen’s agreement, actually a practised that is normal in media practice. this is where journalists are given information ahead of the official announcement, provided that they do not publish or utter a word to anyone about such information till the official announcement.

This is done to make the work of journalists easier, such as planning their stories ahead of time, including interview with the key newsmakers, in this case the winners of the Standard bank young Artist for 2025.

Not immediately identifying any of the artists among us, is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it simply demonstrates that whoever those faceless judges tasked with identifying young people deserving of this award are doing their job very well. it means they go all out and look for new talent, and not the predictable people in popular imagination.

It means that they actually even go out there deeper into communities to identify talented people that may not be popular at the time, but hugely talented producing work of art that deserves to be acknowledged in this manner. And indeed, when three of the six winners were introduced, (one arrived later and the other one was said to be on a plane at the time travelling to Johannesburg) all of them were new faces, new talent that has been sought out and awarded for real talent and not just for public popularity.

This is quite impressive stuff. If all the plethora of awards were like this, instead of being predictable, often awarding those that are popular in the public imagination, and who are not necessarily the best in the game, it would be better for the creative sector.

“Standard Bank and the National Arts Festival are proud to announce the 2025 recipients of the Standard Bank Young Artist Awards (SBYA). As the awards reach the milestone anniversary of 40 years, a new generation of trailblazers takes their place in this storied legacy. These are six exceptional artists who are not just reflecting the world but reshaping it.

Through the SBYA, Standard Bank has celebrated the pulse and potential of South African art, honouring creators who challenge convention and expand the contours of creativity,” the organisers state in a media statement.

“We are proud to support this new generation of visionaries as they continue to shape the future of our cultural landscape and ensure that our creative heritage thrives for decades to come,” said Bonga Sebesho, Standard Bank’s Group Head of Sponsorship.

More than 180 directors, actors, dancers, playwrights, musicians, poets, and visual artists have received this honour since its inception – a constellation of talent that includes William Kentridge, Andrew Buckland, Mmakgabo Helen Sebidi, Mbongeni Ngema​, and Nduduzo Makhathini.

Meet the 2025 Standard Bank Young Artist Award Winners

Already lauded both at home and abroad, this year’s recipients are bold, boundary-breaking voices, shaping South Africa’s creative narrative on a global scale.

• Asanda Ruda (Dance): From the community halls of Soweto to performing internationally, Ruda’s choreography is steeped in history, movement, and myth. A member of the Pina Bausch Foundation, she has captivated audiences with Kemet (Black Lands), her acclaimed solo work that earned her the 2025 Choreographers Research Residency Award in Paris.
  
  
• Siyasanga “Siya” Charles (Jazz): A magna cum laude Juilliard-graduate trombonist, Charles’s career is already a global story, shaped by collaborations with luminaries like Hugh Masekela and Grammy-winning artists. Through her Siya Charles Sextet, she’s redefining South African jazz, layering the country’s rich musical traditions with a fresh, fearless sensibility.
  
  
• Muneyi (Music): Limpopo-born Muneyi’s music pulses with memory, myth, and meaning. His lyrics, inspired by his Makhulu (grandmother), explore love, loss, and identity, transcending language while remaining deeply rooted in the cadences of Tshivenda storytelling.
  
  
• Modise Sekgothe (Poetry): Sekgothe isn’t just a poet—he’s a shapeshifter of sound, rhythm, and form. From Washington DC to Gothenburg and Brussels, his words have reverberated on global stages, bending the boundaries of spoken word into new realms of performance art.
  
  
• Calvin Ratladi (Theatre): Ratladi’s interdisciplinary vision is unapologetically expansive. A SAFTA-winning artist, he garnered Ovation Awards at the National Arts Festival and showcased his work at festivals in Germany and Luxembourg, pushing South African theatre into new, immersive dimensions.
  
  
• Nyakallo Maleke (Visual Arts): Maleke’s drawings are journeys in and of themselves—maps of migration, vulnerability, and spatial memory. With exhibitions across Europe and a Master’s from Switzerland’s edhea, her work expands the conversation around drawing as both medium and metaphor.

A legacy worth celebrating

Winning an SBYA award is more than a career milestone – it’s a launchpad for bold artistic exploration and a gateway to opportunities that transcend borders. Each winner receives financial support, mentorship, and the chance to showcase their work at the National Arts Festival, ensuring that their creative journey continues to evolve and flourish.

National Arts Festival’s CEO, Monica Newton, adds, “The Standard Bank Young Artist Awards continue to ignite the future of South African arts by celebrating visionary talent and inspiring new creative possibilities. We’ve been proud to stand alongside our partner Standard Bank for 40 years; identifying and showcasing the artists who are shaping South Africa’s cultural landscape. To the winners, congratulations, we are honoured to support your journey to Makhanda and beyond.”

A commitment to creativity

As much as these awards honour individual achievement, they also reflect Standard Bank’s longstanding commitment to the arts. Through sustained investment and support, the bank continues to play a vital role in preserving, celebrating, and expanding South Africa’s creative legacy.

As these six exceptional artists prepare to showcase their work at the National Arts Festival, the path ahead promises new opportunities, deeper conversations, and a continued commitment to reshaping what art can be.