Prizes

The Competition awards a range of prizes recognising excellence in contemporary portraiture across all artistic mediums. Eligible media include, but are not limited to, painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, printmaking, video, digital, time-based, and mixed-media works.

Main Prize

• Main Prize (Overall Winner) — R300,000 awarded to the most outstanding portrait of the year (acquisitive).

Category Prizes (R50,000 each)

• Emerging Artist
• Woman Artist
• Sculpture
• Time-Based / Moving Image

Supporting Prizes (R20,000 each)

• Photography
• Drawing / Print
• Youth (Under 18)
• Social Impact / Narrative

Children’s Portrait Prizes (R10,000 each)

• Four prizes for artists aged 5–12.

Honouraria

• All exhibiting finalists will receive a cash honorarium in recognition of their participation and contribution.

Each prize will be awarded to the artwork that best meets the applicable criteria, as determined through the judging process.

Taxation: Prize money and honoraria may constitute taxable income. Artists are solely responsible for any tax obligations and compliance with the South African Revenue Service (SARS).

Key Dates

Key dates for entry opening, closing, finalist announcements, artwork delivery, exhibition, and collection will be published on the official Competition website. Dates may change, and entrants are responsible for checking the website regularly.

Eligibility

To enter the Competition:

• You must be a South African citizen or resident, or otherwise meet the residency requirements published on the Competition website.
• Except for Youth and Children’s categories, entrants must be 18 years or older at the entry closing date.
• Collaborative works are permitted. One artist must be nominated as the primary contact (Nominee). All collaborators are bound by these Terms.
• Directors, employees, contractors, judges, and immediate family members of the Organiser or judges are not eligible to enter.

Category-specific eligibility

• Woman Artist Prize: Open to artists who identify as women.
• Emerging Artist Prize: Open to artists considered early-career, as determined by the Organiser.
• Youth Prize: Open to artists aged 13–18. Parental or legal guardian consent is required.
• Children’s Prize: Open to artists aged 5–12, with parental or legal guardian consent.

Artwork Requirements

All submitted artworks must:

• Be original works created and owned outright by the entrant.
• Be completed within five (5) years of the entry closing date.
• Be suitable for display in a public gallery context.
• Be safe to handle and exhibit, and not pose a risk to people, property, or other artworks.
• Not infringe the copyright, moral rights, or other rights of any third party.

All artistic mediums are eligible, including painting, sculpture, drawing, photography, print, digital, film, video, time-based, and mixed-media formats.

Portrait criteria

• The work must be a portrait, broadly defined as a depiction or representation of a person or persons.
• Self-portraits are permitted.
• Written consent must be obtained from the Subject for exhibition and publication. Where the Subject is a minor, consent must be provided by a parent or legal guardian.

Entries and Fees

• Entries must be submitted online via the official Competition entry portal.
• Multiple entries are permitted unless otherwise restricted by category rules.
• Each artwork must be accompanied by a separate entry form and entry fee.
• Entry fees are non-refundable.

Each entry must include:

• Artist details and biography.
• Artwork details (title, medium, dimensions, year).
• Supporting images or digital files as specified.
• A short statement describing the work and its intent.
• All required consent documentation.

Artificial Intelligence

Artworks incorporating generative or assistive artificial intelligence (AI) processes are eligible.

Entrants must:

• Disclose any AI tools, software, or methodologies used.
• Ensure they hold all necessary permissions and licences for such use.

The Organiser reserves the right to publish disclosed AI information alongside exhibited artworks in the interests of transparency.

Judging and Selection

• Finalists will be selected by an independent Judging Panel based on the submitted materials.
• The number of finalists is determined by the Organiser.
• Judging decisions are final, and no correspondence will be entered into.
• The Organiser’s interpretation of these Terms and Conditions is final.

Exhibition

• Finalist works will be exhibited at nominated venues and/or online platforms during the published exhibition period.
• Artworks must remain on display for the full duration of the exhibition.
• Works will not be available for sale during the exhibition unless expressly stated otherwise.
• Artists are responsible for preparing works for safe handling and installation in accordance with Organiser instructions.
• The Organiser reserves the right to determine the feasibility, placement, format, and method of exhibiting any artwork, including adapting presentation for curatorial, spatial, technical, safety, or operational reasons.

Use of Artwork

By entering the Competition, you grant the Organiser a non-exclusive, worldwide, perpetual, royalty-free licence to reproduce, publish, and distribute images of your artwork for purposes related to the Competition, including promotion, documentation, catalogues, media, and archival records.

You retain copyright and all moral rights in your artwork.

Ownership and Transfer

• Where a prize is designated as acquisitive, ownership of the physical artwork will transfer as specified in the prize conditions.
• In all other cases, artworks remain the property of the artist.

Liability and Insurance

• Artworks are exhibited, stored, and handled at the artist’s own risk.
• To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Organiser will not be liable for any loss, damage, theft, or deterioration of artworks.
• Artists are strongly encouraged to arrange appropriate insurance coverage.

You indemnify the Organiser against any claims, losses, or liabilities arising from your entry or artwork, including claims relating to intellectual property or consent.

Collection of Works

• Artists must collect their artworks by the dates published following the exhibition.
• Artworks not collected within thirty (30) days of the final collection date may incur reasonable storage fees.
• Artworks not collected within sixty (60) days may, at the Organiser’s discretion, be sold, donated, or otherwise disposed of without further notice.
• Any proceeds may be retained by the Organiser after deduction of reasonable costs.

Personal Information (POPIA)

By entering the Competition, you consent to the collection, storage, processing, and use of your personal information for purposes related to the administration, promotion, and documentation of the Competition.

All personal information will be handled in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA).

Changes, Cancellation and Force Majeure

The Organiser reserves the right to amend the Competition structure, prize categories, timelines, venues, or exhibition format where reasonably necessary.

The Organiser will not be liable for failure or delay caused by events beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to power outages, venue closures, civil unrest, strikes, public health restrictions, or government action.

If the Competition is cancelled, entry fees will be refunded where reasonably practicable.

Governing Law

These Terms and Conditions are governed by the laws of South Africa, and South African courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction.