South Africa’s artists, writers, filmmakers and cultural custodians have just days left to be put forward for national honours, as the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture calls on the public to submit nominations for the 2026 National Arts and Culture Awards before the deadline this week.
Held under the theme “Celebrating Our Nation’s Creative Excellence,” the awards recognise individuals and organisations making a significant contribution to South Africa’s arts, culture and heritage sectors, SAnews reports.
Don’t assume someone else will do it
Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie urged South Africans not to let the country’s talent go unrecognised.
“South Africa is full of incredible talent, but talent cannot be honoured if no one nominates it. Don’t assume someone else will do it. If you know an artist, performer, writer, filmmaker or cultural practitioner who has made a difference, nominate them today,” McKenzie said.
Deputy Minister Peace Mabe echoed the call, reminding the creative community that the awards are theirs to shape.
“The National Arts and Culture Awards belong to the entire creative sector. We encourage individuals, communities, institutions and industry leaders to nominate those whose work is preserving our heritage, transforming lives and strengthening South Africa’s cultural future,” Mabe said.
How to nominate
Getting a deserving creative onto the national stage takes only a few minutes. Nominations must be submitted through the official NACA Digital Portal by 23:59 on Saturday, 19 July 2026. The department has made clear that no late submissions will be accepted, so the time to act is now.
Everything a nominator needs is available in one place:
- Nomination guidelines and eligibility criteria are published on the NACA portal.
- The full list of award categories is available on the same portal.
- Updates are shared on the department’s official Facebook page.
A night to celebrate creative excellence
The winners will be honoured at the awards ceremony on 21 August 2026, a night set to shine a national spotlight on the people who tell South Africa’s stories, guard its heritage and carry its creativity to the world.
The invitation from the department is refreshingly wide: artists, cultural institutions, industry bodies, community organisations and ordinary members of the public are all welcome to nominate. Whether it is a playwright transforming a small-town theatre, a praise poet keeping oral tradition alive, or a filmmaker taking local stories global, the awards exist to honour them all.
For a country whose music, dance, literature and film consistently punch above their weight internationally, the 2026 National Arts and Culture Awards are a chance to say thank you at home first. If someone’s creative work has moved you this year, the department’s message is simple: nominate them before Saturday night.
Photo: commons.wikimedia.org
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