With the 2026 National Arts and Culture Awards (NACA) entering Awards Week, the focus now shifts from the phased nominee reveal to a national celebration of South African creative excellence, culminating in the SABC 1 broadcast at 20:00 on Saturday, 22 August 2026.
With the phased nominee reveal now complete, the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) brings together the full range of nominees recognised across Heritage, Visual Arts and Craft, Design, Performing Arts, Audio Visual and Literature, ahead of the Awards at Sun City Resort, as the countdown to Saturday night’s broadcast begins.
Heritage
Outstanding Museum Award: Karoo Origins, KwaZulu-Natal Museum, The Phansi Museum
Visual Arts and Craft
Outstanding Art Gallery Award: Gallery MOMO, The Dealr, UNISA Art Gallery
Outstanding Crafter Award: Madoda Fani (Southern Guild), Sefakwana Portia Thenjwayo (Woven Lamp Shades), Xolile Mabuza (Scotch Never Die)
Outstanding Curator Award: Bridget Phakathi (Nkosi Sikelel’ iAzania), Sefakwana Portia Thenjwayo (Woven Lamp Shades), Tshegofatso Seoka (Concrete Dreams: Journeys in Transit)
Outstanding Visual Artist Award: Gwenneth Miller (Omgekeerd), Mellaney Roberts (Waar Bloed Nie Loop Nie), Michael Selekane (Untitled)
Design
Architecture/Interior Designer: Bridget Meier, Kathleen Helen De Villiers Soal, Sipho Phiri
Fashion/Textile Designer: David Tlale, Jacques La Grange, Olebogeng Ledimo
Graphic & Multimedia Designer: David Siyabonga Tshabalala, Rejoice Kunene, Siya Masuku
Performing Arts
Actor in Theatre: Gontse Ntshegang, Mandlenkosi Gaduka, Valentine Themba Ndaba
Comedian Performance: Dalin Gerard Oliver, Nomthandazo Rubushe, Siyabulela Seya
Dance Production: Chloe Blair (Nothing Twice), Gregory Maqoma (Genesis: The Beginning and End of Time), Llewellyn Mnguni (From You to Me)
Musician Award: Creshwell October, Sisa Benjamin Zako, Viwe Siyabonga Mkizwana
Poet Performance: Koleka Putuma, Masai Sepuru, Modise Joshua Sekgothe
What's your hot take on this story?
Theatre Production: Calvin Seretle Ratladi (Breakfast with Mugabe), Jana Hattingh (Verwelkingslied), Aubrey Sekhabi (The Fatherland)
Audio Visual
Actor TV/Film: Siyabonga Shibe, Zenande Mfenyane, Ntuthuzelo “Prince” Grootboom
Film Fiction: Michael James (God’s Work), Lindani Msibi (My Winter Tears), Norman Maake (Sebata – The Beast)
Literary
Fiction Book: Jan Vermeulen (Bloedblou), Michelle Kekana (The Fragile Mental Health of Strong Women), Ayanda Xaba (Room 904)
Non-Fiction Book: Kutlwano Masote (Imperfect Harmony), Deborah Seddon (Magnitude), Hlonipha Mokoena (The Nightwatchman)
Children’s Fiction: Lalu Mokuku (Butterfly Heart), Fanie Viljoen (Die beste sussie vir ’n baba-draak), Bianca Flanders (Pumpkin and the Hidden Heroes)
Publisher: Jacana Media, uHlanga Press, Siyafunda Online
With nominees now recognised across the full breadth of South Africa’s creative sectors, attention turns to the national celebration itself. Pamela Mtanga and Vafa Naraghi will lead the NACA 2026 celebration, with a programme including music, fashion, visual arts, poetry and performance, reflecting the diversity of talent recognised throughout the Awards.
Presented under the theme “Celebrating Our Nation’s Creative Excellence,” NACA 2026 recognises achievement across South Africa’s arts, culture and heritage sectors, while placing focus on talent, the business of the creative sector and nation building. The Awards recognise creative achievement alongside the contribution the sector makes to livelihoods, enterprise, cultural identity and social cohesion.
This year’s Awards take place at a significant point in South Africa’s national story. The country marks 70 years since the historic Women’s March of 1956, 50 years since the 1976 youth uprising and 30 years since the adoption of the Constitution in 1996. Against these milestones, the artists, writers, filmmakers, performers and cultural practitioners recognised by NACA represent another generation documenting, interpreting and shaping the South African story.
The Awards also coincide with 50 years of television in South Africa, giving added resonance to the NACA broadcast on SABC 1 and to television’s role in carrying South African stories, languages, music and cultural expression into homes across the country.
NACA 2026 is supported by partners making practical contributions across the programme. Super Group Dealerships, through JETOUR, is supporting mobility across the NACA and National Sports Awards weekend; Metropolitan brings a focus on financial resilience and legacy; AMKA and its participating beauty brands are supporting both Awards through products and local hair and make-up talent; while Yamaha will contribute musical instruments as part of the Ministerial Outreach Programme at Paardekraal Primary School in Rustenburg on Monday, 24 August 2026.
The partnerships reflect the role business can play alongside government in supporting creative talent, livelihoods and opportunities beyond the Awards stage.
The NACA 2026 ceremony takes place at Sun City on Friday, 21 August 2026, with the National Sports Awards following on Sunday, 23 August 2026, completing a weekend recognising excellence across South African arts, culture and sport.
The ceremony at Sun City will determine this year’s NACA winners. On Saturday night, the celebration belongs to the country.
South Africans are encouraged to gather with family and friends and tune in to SABC 1 at 20:00 on Saturday, 22 August 2026, as NACA 2026 celebrates the artists, stories and creative voices shaping South Africa.
