All competitions · Prize / award
Sasol New Signatures Visual Arts Competition
Association of Arts Pretoria (sponsored by Sasol) · Pretoria, South Africa
South Africa's long-running competition for artists who have not yet held a solo exhibition. Works delivered in person at eight collection points (2026: 9–10 June); R100,000 top prize with a solo show at Pretoria Art Museum.
Your eligibility
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Who can enter
- Location
- South Africa
- Age
- 18 and over
- Career stage
- Emerging
- Mediums
- Painting, Drawing, Printmaking, Sculpture, Photography, Video & film, Installation
- Status
- Artists without gallery representation
- Solo shows
- Must not have had a solo exhibition
- Attendance
- Must attend in person
- Entries
- Up to 2 works per artist
- Submission
- Physical delivery
- Also
- South African artists over 18 who have not held a solo exhibition; not represented by an established gallery/agent; not full-time visual art or design lecturers. Up to two works.
About
Sasol New Signatures is organised by the Association of Arts Pretoria and sponsored by Sasol. It is open to South African artists over 18 who have not yet held a solo exhibition; artists represented by established galleries or agents, or employed full-time as visual art or design lecturers, are not eligible. Up to two works per artist in painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, photography, video or installation.
Entries are submitted physically at eight collection points (Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Polokwane, Gqeberha, Potchefstroom and Pretoria); in 2026 this took place on 9 and 10 June between 10:00 and 16:00. Around 100 finalists are selected for the exhibition at the Pretoria Art Museum (9 September–8 November 2026) and documented in a printed catalogue.
The overall winner receives R100,000 and a solo exhibition at the Pretoria Art Museum the following year; the runner-up receives R25,000 and five merit award winners R10,000 each. The competition runs annually.