Absa Latelier 2023 Art Competition for Africans (South Africa)

The Absa Latelier, through its prizes focuses on how best to support the artist in growing their brand and in equipping artists with the relevant skills needed to build their careers. The competition also gives artists opportunities to build their network and collaborate in their art practice, while providing them with a unique platform that would best position them within the visual arts industry

About Absa L’Atelier

The Absa L’Atelier is a leading Pan-African art competition. The Absa L’Atelier, which has been running for 36 years, is hosted annually by Absa in partnership with the South African National Association for the Visual Arts (SANAVA). Every year, dynamic, inspiring and young visual artists from across Africa are given the opportunity to develop their talents abroad through the Absa L’Atelier. Additionally, the competition offers them a platform to explore themes and contemporary issues that will bring their possibilities to life. One only has to look at the past winning art…… read more

Absa Latelier Art Competition

Aim and Benefits of Absa Latelier Art Competition

The prizes

There are four prizes for the competition:

• The main prize for the winner of each Group; and
• The Absa Latelier Gerard Sekoto Award for a South African entrant that continues to demonstrate growth in their art production.

Competition terms and conditions

The Absa Latelier, through its prizes focuses on how best to support the artist in growing their brand and in equipping artists with the relevant skills needed to build their careers. The competition also gives artists opportunities to build their network and collaborate in their art practice, while providing them with a unique platform that would best position them within the visual arts industry.

Main prize

The winner from each of the three groups will receive the following:

1. The Ambassadors must take up their prizes concurrently.
2. Each Ambassador to be provided with a new laptop, which is loaded with the latest Windows and MS Office Package.
3. The first part of the prize will be divided into two parts.
4. For the first part of their prize, the Ambassadors will enjoy 10 intensive masterclasses from February to July 2024. Each masterclass is 120 minutes. Virtual platforms allow for the masterclasses to be held with leading experts from across the globe. It is compulsory for the Ambassadors to participate in the masterclasses. The masterclasses will cover the following topics:
   • MC1: Mental wellness
   • MC2: Financial wellness
   • MC3: Legal wellbeing
   • MC4: Developing your career as an artist and brand
   • MC5: Media training and presence
   • MC6: Building and managing an art portfolio
   • MC7: Art of negotiating and conflict resolution
   • MC8: Fundraising and proposal writing
   • MC9: Art professionalism
   • MC10: Artist residencies.
5. For the second part of the prize, the Ambassadors are paired with a local leading authority from their respective country within the visual arts who will mentor them over a four-month period (June to September 2024).
   • Participation by the Ambassadors in the mentoring programme is compulsory.
   • During these sessions the Ambassador will work with their mentor towards a collaborative exhibition with their fellow Ambassadors that will take place in the Absa Gallery in downtown Johannesburg, South Africa, at the end of 2024 and, thereafter in 2025, travel to each of the Ambassador’s respective countries the following year. The hosting gallery in the artist’s country will be identified by Absa and its partners.
   • If the Ambassador is a South African artist, the exhibition will not travel to another South African venue.
   • All materials required for the production of the collaborativeexhibition, including the framing of the artworks, will be covered up to a maximum value of R70,000 by Absa.
   • The Ambassador will be required to be physically present for the opening of the exhibition at the respective venues, Absa shall cover all travel expenses within reason.
6. Each Ambassador will have an option of taking up a solo exhibition in the Absa Gallery within a five- year period of winning the prize. All material required for the production of the solo exhibition, as well as the framing of the artworks, will be covered up to a maximum value of R100,000 by Absa. It will be at Absa’s discretion whether this exhibition will then travel to the artists host country post its showing in the Absa Gallery. The hosting gallery in the artist’s country will be identified by Absa and its partners. If the Ambassador is a South African artist, the exhibition will not travel to another South African venue. The Ambassador will be required to be physically present for the opening of their exhibition, Absa shall cover all travel expenses within reason to get the Ambassador to the opening.
7. The masterclass, mentoring and collaborative exhibition to take place in 2024.
8. The prize and/or any part thereof may not be exchanged for cash, in-kind and/or otherwise and/or in lieu thereof.
9. Candidates accept all terms and conditions of entry and by entering the artist acknowledges having read, understood and thus accepted such terms and conditions of submission of their entry to the competition.
10. Candidates accept all terms and conditions of entry and by entering the artist acknowledges having read, understood and thus accepted such terms and conditions of submission of their entry to the competition.

Requirements for Absa Latelier Art Competition Qualification

The competition is open to all artists who are not younger than 21 and not older than 40 in March 2023. In the case of art students, only students in their final year of study, who meet the age requirements, may participate.

All prize winners will be required to take up the prize as per the date mentioned in the entry details.

Only artists who are citizens or have been granted permanent residency and are permanently residing in South Africa, Kenya, Zambia, Ghana, Botswana, Uganda, Mozambique, Mauritius, the Seychelles, Tanzania, Nigeria or Namibia may enter the competition. The airfare to the Absa Gallery and the residency in France or South Africa forms part of the prize, and is only from the participating countries.

If information is not captured accurately on the system and any information is missing from the online registration, the entrant will automatically be disqualified.

Personal information

Absa will only collect, store and use your personal information, such as your name, age, telephone number and email address for the purposes of entering you, as the entrant, into the competition and for the purpose of administering the draw as set out in these rules. This will not affect any existing marketing preferences that you have registered with Absa.

By entering the Absa L’Atelier, your personal information may be transferred to our service providers and agents (including their subcontractors) to store and use as necessary to administer the competition. We will never pass your information on to any third party for them to use in their own direct marketing, without your consent.

Your personal information will be held on record for a short period of time, as necessary to administer the competition, and will then then be securely destroyed.

Which works may be entered?

Only one entry is allowed.

Each entry consists of a body of artwork, with a minimum of four and a maximum of five artworks.

All artwork must be uploaded via the Absa L’Atelier online platform.

The works of art must have been completed in the 12 months before the closing date of the competition.

Only original artworks may be entered.

Entries in any medium will be accepted, subject to the following requirements:

• A single artwork that needs to be hung, must not be larger than 2m x 2m and must not weigh more than 30kg, including the frame. It must also pass through a standard-sized single door.
• Sculptures, including the base, may not exceed a mass of 100kg. The size of the sculpture must not be larger than 2m x 2m and must pass through a standard-sized single door.
• Works of art that consist of several parts, including the frames, must not be larger than 2m x 2m and must not have a combined hanging weight of more than 50kg. The individual pieces making up the artwork must pass through a standard-sized single door. If a sculpture is included, it may not exceed a mass of 100kg, and must pass through a standard-sized single door.
• No installation artwork may be entered.
• Artworks must be of such a nature that they can easily be packed, transported and exhibited. The selection panel and/or organisers have the right to refuse to accept artworks that are difficult to hang, install, transport or handle.
• The selection panel and/or organisers have the right to refuse to accept or display artworks, which they are of the opinion, are dangerous or potentially dangerous, or of a nature that may cause injury or damage to persons or goods.
• No artwork will be accepted that incites hate speech and propaganda or violence against race, creed, gender or sexual orientation.
• No artwork compiled by more than one entrant will be accepted.
• Video entries must not exceed five minutes in length and must have a definite start and end point. The video should not form a continuous loop. Any digital work longer than five minutes (including the start and finish) will be disqualified.
• All artwork entered must be for sale. The selling price must remain the same as the selling price reflected on the online registration form.
• No performance art will be accepted.
• All artworks must be exhibition-ready. If an entrant’s artworks are selected, they must immediately be ready for transport to the Absa Gallery.

Interview date, Process and Venue for Absa Latelier Art Competition

Adjudication will be based on the online entry. The independent panel of adjudicators will be constituted under the partners, SANAVA and Absa.

Works of art returned to a regional location after the final exhibition must be collected by the artist within seven days, failing which, Absa will, within its sole discretion, be entitled to sell the artwork on behalf of the artist, or otherwise dispose of it. All efforts will be made to return the artwork directly to the artist or to a location within close proximity of the artist’s residence.

Application Deadline

May 31, 2023

How to Apply

For more details visit: Absa Latelier website.