Enter Vuleka 2026, South Africa’s premier emerging artist competition at Art.b Gallery in Bellville, Cape Town. View entry guidelines, key dates, judging schedule, and exhibition details.

Entries Open: 29 May 2026 (09:00)

The Vuleka Art Competition 2026 returns to Art.b Gallery, offering one of South Africa’s most respected platforms for emerging artists. Open to a wide range of disciplines from painting and sculpture to digital and film.

Vuleka continues to spotlight new voices in contemporary art while maintaining a rigorous, anonymous judging process.

Event Details

Date & Time

Opens 29 May 2026

Location

Artb Gallery ( The Arts Association of Bellville)

The Arts Association of Bellville, The Library Centre, Carel van Aswegen Street, Bellville, 7530, Cape Town
South Africa

Contact

artb@artb.co.za
+27 21 444 6500
Competition Info

Who may enter

  • The competition is open to all entrants who are permanently resident in South Africa and 18 years of age or older on 1 January 2026.
  • Those not eligible for entry are the sponsors and the judges adjudicating the 2026 award, any of their immediate family.
  • The competition is NOT OPEN to any of the previous first prize winners of the Vuleka competition.
  • The competition is NOT OPEN to artists who have had a solo exhibition in the past three years. (academic solo exhibitions are exempt).

  • Entry Dates

    Entries should be submitted online through the Online Entry Form under the Tab DIGITAL ENTRY from 09:00 on 29 May 2026 to 09:00 on 26 June 2026. (Take note that the deadline will not be extended!)

    Which artworks can be entered?

    • Only ORIGINAL works of art completed during 2025/2026 may be entered by the entrant. All works remain the property of the entrant for the duration of the competition and exhibition, unless a work is sold at the exhibition.
    • Maximum of 5 works may be entered.
    • Artworks in all media are allowed, painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, ceramics, film and digital.
    • Works consisting of multiple parts (i.e. diptychs or triptychs) will be accepted and must be entered as one work. The work must be submitted on one photograph for the digital entry.
    • Video projection/film or multimedia art entries must make arrangements for their own means of projection.
    • The copyright of all works submitted should belong to the submitting artist.
    • It remains the artist’s responsibility to obtain proper permissions for the usage of anyone’s image, whether from a sitter or a creator of a reference image.
    • No performance art will be accepted.
    • Collaborative artworks compiled by a maximum of two artists will be accepted, however one artist has to be the owner of the artwork.
    • No AI artworks are allowed.
    • All works are submitted at the owner’s risk. Neither Art.b nor the  sponsors will accept any responsibility for the damage, loss or theft of any works of art while in transit or on exhibition.
    • All entries are to be for sale at a market-related price and Art.b Gallery will act as the appointed agent. The entrant must provide a selling price for each work. Art.b Gallery will deduct a 33.3% commission on all sales. Art.b Gallery’s appointment will automatically terminate when the work has been returned to the entrant, or sold.

    Size & Mass Limitations

    Minimum size: 20cm width x 20cm height (unframed). Works smaller than this WILL be disqualified.
    Maximum size: 200cm width x 200cm height (framed). Works larger than this WILL be disqualified.

    Sculptures must be able to stand without support & may not exceed 100 kg. Sculptures that exceed this mass WILL be disqualified.

    Other rules

    • THE ENTRANT MAY NOT SIGN OR WRITE HIS OR HER NAME ANYWHERE ON THE WORK, INCLUDING THE BACK. All works will be judged anonymously and any work that is signed or contains any marking identifying the entrant may be disqualified. All selected works may be signed after the Vuleka winners have been announced.
    • Work previously  exhibited in the public domain may not be entered into this competition.
    • A copy of a document confirming your identity and age (ID, driver’s license, passport) and a copy of proof of payment should be emailed to Art.b once you have submitted your Digital Entry Form.
    • During the FIRST ROUND, the digital images will be viewed by a panel of judges. They will select up to 100 works (or less) from the digital entries. These artists will be notified by Art.b Gallery via telephone, email or WhatsApp by the 14th of July.
    • The decision of the judges is final. No correspondence will be entered into. Entrants should be aware that all artworks are judged on an equal and anonymous basis.
    • Art.b Gallery reserves the right to disqualify any artwork if the artist has not complied with the above rules as stipulated, even if the work was selected for exhibition.

    Concise Entry Snapshot

    • Open to South African residents aged 18+
    • Maximum 5 artworks per artist
    • All media accepted (excluding performance & AI-generated work)
    • Works must be original (2025–2026)
    • Entry via digital submission only
    • Entry fee: R250 (members) / R300 (non-members)

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Event Schedule

Entries Open:
29 May 2026 (09:00)

Entries Close:
26 June 2026 (09:00)

First Round Judging (Digital):
6–9 July 2026

Finalists Notification:
By 14 July 2026

Round 2 – Artwork Delivery Deadline (Gallery):
22 July 2026

Final Judging (In Gallery):
25 July 2026

Exhibition Installation:
27–31 July 2026

Exhibition Opening:
1 August 2026

Collection of Non-Selected Works:
3–6 August 2026

Exhibition Closes:
28 August 2026

Final Collection (All Works):
By 4 September 2026

Get Directions

Organiser

Artb ( The Arts Association of Bellville)

The Gallery consists of the Main Gallery and the Vestibule. The combined exhibition space is approximately 420 square meters, with excellent natural and electrical light. The Art Centre provides for various art disciplines, including pottery, drawing, painting, photography and life drawing classes. It also caters for disadvantaged and disabled learners.

For almost 60 years, the gallery and art centre have served as a hub of cultural and community activities, offering art exhibitions of high standing such as the Absa L’Atelier, workshops, art classes and music concerts.

Organiser Profile

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