FAQs

The StateoftheART Gallery Award is a contemporary visual arts prize aimed at emerging artists from across South Africa, and is organised and funded by StateoftheART Gallery. Read more about the story of the Award here.

 

The winner of the StateoftheART Gallery Award 2021 will receive a solo exhibition at StateoftheART Gallery in 2022 and a R40 000 cash award to be used towards the realisation of that exhibition, as well as the opportunity for ongoing representation through the StateoftheART.

More information about the Prize can be found here.

 

The StateoftheART Gallery Award is open to artists who:
Are aged eighteen (18) years and older and who are South African citizens or permanent residents in South Africa.

Are new or emerging artists who have not yet held a solo exhibition with a commercial gallery, except for academic purposes.

Are currently pursuing, or intend to pursue, a career as a full-time artist.

Work in the following media: drawing, printing, painting, photography, digital art, mixed media and sculpture.

Read the Competition Rules here.

ENTERING THE AWARD:

 

Online entries open on 1st April 2021 at midday (12.00 pm).

 

When online entries open on 1 April 2021, you will be able to register and submit your artwork images and details online by following the link at stateoftheart-gallery.com/award. 

A copy of a document confirming your identity and age (RSA ID / Passport / Proof of permanent residence) must be uploaded with your digital entry. You are required to submit three artworks to the theme 'On the Brink: Visualising Climate Change' and explain how the works link to this theme.

 

You will only need to deliver your artworks to the gallery IF you are selected as a Finalist and notified by StateoftheART via telephone, email or WhatsApp. Shipping for artists living outside of Cape Town will be covered by our sponsor Jetlog Logistics.

No - submitted artwork should have been created for the Award and to the 2021 theme of 'On the Brink: Visualising Climate Change' and may not be older than 12 months, i.e. work must have been COMPLETED between 01 April 2020 and 30 June 2021.

 

No, artwork (including multiples - which means editions of the same print, photograph, digital artwork etc) entered into the StateoftheART Gallery Award may not be entered into any other competition until the judges have selected and announced the top 10 finalists.

What does ‘new or emerging artists’ mean?
The term ‘new or emerging’ in relation to the Award refers to an artist who is still building their career – this does not relate to age, or whether an artist has just begun their practice. We are looking for artists who are currently pursuing, or intend to pursue, a career as a full-time artist, at any stage in life.
 
I have had a solo exhibition of my work in the past, am I still allowed to enter the Award?
The rules state that ‘artists may not have already held a solo exhibition with a commercial gallery’.
By “commercial” we are referring to a venue whose primary purpose is to market and sell art: an artist may have submitted a specific exhibition proposal and the gallery has chosen to invest in the artist’s career, and have put their resources into marketing and hosting the exhibition as part of their exhibition program. This includes Galleries that are 'not-for-profit' too. 
A restaurant or coffee shop ‘solo’ exhibition would not prevent an artist from entering the Award as the primary function of the venue is not the sale of art. Likewise, a solo exhibition with an academic institution (for example as part of your degree at University) does not prohibit your entry.
Please remember that this Award is aimed at emerging artists who have yet to establish a profile on the contemporary South African art scene and provides an opportunity to gain exposure and raise their profile.

All entrants are required to submit three individual works to the theme 'On the Brink: Visualising Climate Change' and submit 3 images of each artwork: main image, side view and close-up (9 images in total).

Yes, each individual artwork must be entered online separately but all three should speak to the same theme.

No. You can edit your application up until final submission by using the login details (your email address and password) you will have received following registration for the Award.

Once uploading images and details for each artwork, you can also click 'Edit Artwork' to make changes.

Once you have submitted your application you will not be able to make any further changes, but you will be able to see an 'Application Overview' of all the information your have submitted for your entry.

Please contact award@stateoftheart-gallery.com if you have any issues.

You will need to take 3 photos of each artwork - a main image, a side view and a close-up. Take photos using your mobile phone or digital camera and try to make them look as similar to the original artwork as possible. Make sure your side view image shows the edge and depth of the canvas or frame, or the edge of the paper. We have created a tutorial for taking the best photos of your artwork with only your mobile phone, read it here.  

 

 

All 9 artwork images submitted (jpegs) as part of your entry must be at a minimum pixel height or width of 2000px. This means that the longest side of the image must be at least 2000 pixels. The preferred method to achieve this is to take the highest quality photos (biggest pixel amount) you can and resize down. You can do this on your phone by adjusting your photo settings and editing, resizing and saving in an app such as Snapseed (find instructions in our Photographing your Art guide) or on your computer (e.g. in Photoshop).

Alternatively you could use an online tool such as resizepixel.com or online-image-resizer.com to make your images smaller - but never use these tools to increase the pixel size, rather take better (bigger) photos.
You can also make sure your file size is not too large by using a site such as tinyjpg.com to compress your image files without losing quality.

Yes, the Theme for submissions for 2021 is 'On the Brink: Visualising Climate Change'. Read more about the theme here and find more articles and information shared on our Facebook page.

 

Drawing, printing, painting, photography, digital art, and sculpture.

 

Minimum size: 20cm x 25cm (unframed).
Maximum size: 120cm  x 160cm (framed).
No work may exceed 15kg in weight. 

 

Yes, you retain the rights to your work - even if it is sold.

All artworks remain your property for the duration of the competition and exhibition until the work has sold during the exhibition.

 

No, Artwork that is entered must be original work created by the entrant.

 

The Rules of the StateoftheART Gallery Award state that artists not resident in South Africa are not eligible to apply. Please consider your own time frame and bear in mind the following:

1. Your artwork medium - if you are selected as a finalist you will need to send your work to the Gallery in Cape Town, can you do this from where you are currently situated?

2. The South African context - the artwork submitted should be relevant to the South African context and theme.

3. Your submitted artworks may not be older than 12 months, i.e. work must have been COMPLETED between 01 April 2020 and 30 June 2021.

No, framing is not required to enter the Award and if you are selected as a Finalist please do not frame your work before discussion with the Gallery. We prefer if the artwork you enter is NOT FRAMED, however if the work has already been framed for whatever reason, please make sure your submitted photographs clearly show the frame and the side image shows the depth of the frame.

 

 

 

FINALISTS:

The first round of judging will take place digitally: the digital images submitted will be reviewed by a panel of judges and scores will be allocated to each artist against predefined criteria. The top ten artists will then be invited to send their original work to StateoftheART Gallery in Cape Town where it will be exhibited in the Finalists Exhibition for the final round of judging, and the winner decided. The decision of the judges is final and all artworks are judged on an equal basis against predetermined criteria.

The Judging Panel consists of respected professionals engaged in different spheres of contemporary art who bring academic, artistic and curatorial experience to the judging process. See the list of judges and more about them here.

Only the top ten finalists will receive feedback on their work after the final round of judging.

You will be notified by StateoftheART via telephone, email or WhatsApp in August 2021 and will be required to deliver your artworks to the Gallery in Cape Town, for the Finalists Exhibition in October 2021.
Shipping for artists living outside of Cape Town will be covered by our sponsor Jetlog Logistics.

 

If you will be sending your works by Courier to the Gallery, please make sure they are packaged safely for transport. Watch our series of video tutorials on Packaging Art here.

 

The Finalists Exhibition will be on show at StateoftheART Gallery, 50 Buitenkant Street, Cape Town from 16 - 30 October 2021.

 

No, once you have submitted your artworks to the Award Competition you cannot sell or exhibit them or multiples (editions) of the artwork elsewhere.

Yes, all entries are to be for sale at a market-related price and StateoftheART will act as the appointed agent.

StateoftheART's appointment will automatically terminate when the work has been returned to the entrant, or sold. 

Yes, the entrant must provide an Artist Price (in South African Rands - ZAR) between R1 000 - R12 000 for each work and StateoftheART's Commission (50%) and VAT will be added to determine the final Selling Price.  Any commission earned by StateoftheART from sales will be invested in developing and growing the Award.

 

 

 

 

WINNER:

The Winner of the StateoftheART Gallery Award 2021 will be announced at the Awards ceremony of the Finalists Exhibition on 16 October 2021.