Visual Arts Merit Award 2026
Top Ten Artists
Runner-up
Winner
The selection is complete. Meet the Top Ten emerging South African artists selected for DALRO’s 2026 Visual Arts Merit Award, and discover their work at the DALRO Gallery.
What Remains
& What We Carry
11 NOV – 11 DEC 2026 DALRO GALLERY
JOHANNESBURG
Meet the Top Ten.
Selected through VAMA’s adjudication process, the Top Ten are exhibiting in an exhibition titled “What Earth Keeps, What Remains & What We Carry”. The Top Ten will all participate in a programme of professional development workshops.
The workshops are open to the Top Ten and other visual artists, in person and streamed. Topics, registration and residency details will be shared on DALRO’s social channels. Follow @theDALRO ↗
What Earth Keeps,
What Remains
& What We Carry
Experience the VAMA Top Ten group exhibition at the DALRO Gallery in Johannesburg, curated by Maria Fidel Regueros of Bag Factory.
DALRO Gallery
Building 1, Waverley Office Park
15 Forest Road, Bramley, Johannesburg
Parking is limited, so we suggest getting there by Uber.
Public viewing
11 November –
11 December 2026
- Monday to Friday
- 08h30–16h30
- Thursday, 3 December
- 08h30–20h00
- Saturday viewing: 14, 21 and 28 November; 5 December
- 10h00–13h00
PRIVATE OPENING / 10 NOVEMBER 2026
The Winner and Runner-Up will be announced at the invitation-only opening. The opening is not open to the public. Follow @theDALRO for live posts from the evening.
Make a connection.
Find your artwork.
Thinasofaslahlane Mkhulise
VAMA 2026 : Runner-up
The Runner-up
A residency at William Humphreys Art Gallery in Kimberley from January to March 2027.
The Runner-Up’s solo exhibition follows at WHAG in March and April 2027.
Jason Langa
VAMA 2026 : Winner
The Winner
A residency at Bag Factory from November 2026 to April 2027, followed by a residency at LL Editions from May to September 2027.
The programme culminates in a solo exhibition at Bag Factory in October 2027. Peer reviews form part of the Bag Factory residency.
In partnership with
