The Arts & Tradition Belief (ACT) has formally opened purposes for the 2026 ACT Nyoloha Scholarship Programme, marking the fifth iteration of its flagship undergraduate arts improvement initiative.
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Designed to establish and nurture distinctive younger expertise, the programme offers absolutely paid scholarships protecting tuition and research supplies for accredited tertiary research starting in 2027.
Now a cornerstone of South Africa’s inventive improvement panorama, the Nyoloha Scholarship Programme helps research in performing, visible and digital arts whereas additionally providing structured mentorship and profession improvement alternatives to assist younger artists construct sustainable futures within the inventive financial system.
#NyolohaTranscends: Rising past limitations
The 2026 theme, #NyolohaTranscends, attracts inspiration from the Sesotho phrase Nyoloha, which means “to rise”. The theme displays ACT’s dedication to reaching gifted younger artists in communities the place alternative could also be restricted, however inventive potential is plentiful.
It reinforces the organisation’s perception that inventive excellence exists throughout South Africa — and that with the best help, rising artists can transcend monetary and structural limitations to entry skilled coaching, mentorship and significant careers.
Functions are actually open and can shut on Sunday, 5 April 2026. Submissions will be accomplished online.
The programme is open to South African rising artists aged 17 to 25 within the disciplines of: Performing, Singing, Dance, Visible Arts and Digital Arts.
Eligible candidates should both be in matric or not but learning artwork at a tertiary establishment. The scholarship particularly targets younger artists who lack the monetary means to pursue an arts diploma.
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“By way of the ACT Nyoloha Scholarship Programme, the ACT continues to allow younger artists to transcend monetary and structural limitations, strengthening entry to skilled improvement and profession pathways,” says Jessica Denyschen, CEO of ACT.
“Annually, we witness extraordinary inventive potential rising from throughout the nation and we stay dedicated to making sure that this expertise is recognised, supported, and in a position to flourish inside South Africa’s inventive industries.”
Past funding: Coaching, mentorship and publicity
Greater than a monetary award, Nyoloha is a structured improvement journey.
In 2025, 60 performing, visible and digital artists from all 9 provinces had been chosen to take part in a three-month coaching and mentorship programme. From this cohort, scholarship recipients had been in the end chosen.
“The coaching and mentorship help artists to take large leaps ahead in realising their value and honing their expertise for fulfilling careers within the inventive business,” says Poovi Pillay, Govt Head of the Social Affect Unit at Nedbank.
Strategic partnerships driving influence
The ACT Nyoloha Scholarship Programme is delivered with the help of long-term strategic companions Nedbank and MTN South Africa.
“In partnership with ACT, the Nedbank Arts Affinity has donated greater than R31m over 31 years to help over 830 arts, tradition and heritage improvement initiatives countrywide,” the organisation notes. The Arts Affinity at present helps the Nyoloha Scholarship Programme, alongside different ACT initiatives.
“As legacy organisations with a future focus, the MTN Basis and ACT partnership continues to ship on their strategic goal to take part within the socioeconomic improvement of our disenfranchised youth,” says Niel Nortjé, supervisor of the MTN Artwork Assortment.
He provides that accelerating digital transformation in artwork abilities improvement, job creation and digital options for the cultural and inventive industries stays a strategic precedence for the partnership.
With purposes now open for 2026, the Nyoloha Scholarship Programme as soon as once more gives younger creatives the chance not simply to rise — however to transcend.
