For over six decades, the Vuleka Art Competition has played a vital role in shaping the paths of some of South Africa’s most acclaimed artists, among them William Kentridge, Sue Williamson, Christo Coetzee, and Pippa Skotnes. The competition is deeply respected for its transparent and fair approach—artworks are assessed through a blind judging process, ensuring that each entry is evaluated solely on its artistic quality

Eligibility: Open to all South African residents aged 18 and older as of 1 January 2025. Entrants must not have held a solo exhibition in the past three years (academic solo exhibitions are exempt). Previous first prize winners are not eligible.

Mediums Accepted: Painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, ceramics, digital art, film, and mixed media. Performance art and AI-generated works are not permitted

Entry Period: 15 June to 2 July 2025. Submissions must be made digitally via the Art.b Gallery website.

Entry Fees: R200 per artwork for members of the Arts Association of Bellville, and R250 per artwork for non-members. A maximum of five works may be submitted.

Prizes: The prestigious Conrad Theys Award offers a first prize of R50,000. Additional prizes include a R5,000 framing voucher for artists under 30, and various merit awards.

Exhibition: The top 50 selected artworks will be exhibited at Art.b Gallery from 2 August to 29 August 2025.

Submission Guidelines

• Originality: Only original artworks completed in 2024 or 2025 are eligible. Each work must be the sole property of the entrant and not previously exhibited publicly, including online platforms.

• Presentation: Artworks must adhere to size and weight restrictions: minimum size of 20cm x 20cm (unframed) and maximum size of 200cm x 200cm (framed). Sculptures must not exceed 100 kg and should be self-supporting.

• Anonymity: To ensure impartial judging, artworks must not be signed or bear any identifying marks. Signatures can be added after the winners are announced.

• Documentation: Entrants must submit high-quality photographs of their artworks, proof of payment, and a copy of their ID or driver’s license via email after completing the online entry form.

Venue & Contact Information

• Location: Art.b Gallery, Cultural Hub, Library Centre, Carl van Aswegen Street, Bellville, Cape Town 7530

Contact: Phone: 072 380 7268 | Email: artb@artb.co.za

Key Dates

• Digital Entries Open: 15 June 2025

• Digital Entries Close: 2 July 2025

• First Round Judging: 7–10 July 2025

• Notification of Selected Artists: By 15 July 2025

• Delivery of Selected Works: 15–19 July 2025

• Final Judging: 21–25 July 2025

• Exhibition Opening: 2 August 2025

• Exhibition Closes: 29 August 2025

• Collection of Unsold Works: By 5 September 2025

Images and info courtesy of ArtB Gallery