Creative Opportunities Round‑Up: Awards, Funding, Residencies, Career Opportunities and Open Calls
This month’s list includes two major UK‑based international prizes, a funded internship linked to a national arts programme, a flagship South African writers’ residency, a national museum’s standing call for exhibition proposals, a set of international mobility grants and awards that South African practitioners can enter, and two open creative roles at a Cape Town media platform. A mix of opportunities for South African practitioners and international ones open to entrants based anywhere, including South Africa.
1. Aesthetica Art Prize 2026
Open to: artists worldwide, including South Africa
Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the Aesthetica Art Prize is one of the most respected international open calls for contemporary visual artists, spanning painting, photography, sculpture, installation, digital art, film and performance.
Past finalists have gone on to exhibit at institutions including Tate Modern, the Guggenheim, the V&A and Frieze, and this year’s shortlist responds to themes of technology, colonial legacy and ecological change.
Prizes include:
- £10,000 for the Main Prize winner
- £1,000 for the Emerging Prize winner
- Group exhibition at a major UK public gallery
- Publication in Aesthetica Magazine and the Aesthetica Art Prize Anthology
Eligibility:
- Open internationally, with no restriction on medium or size of work
- Entrants may submit up to two works, including collaborative projects
Deadline: 31 August 2026 (late entries accepted 1–6 September with an additional fee) More information: aestheticamagazine.com/artprize
2. Aesthetica Creative Writing Award 2026
Open to: writers worldwide, including South Africa
Aesthetica’s companion literary prize is one of the UK’s leading international writing competitions, drawing thousands of entries in poetry and short fiction each year from both emerging and established writers.
The judging panel has historically included figures from Granta, the Guardian, Wasafiri and Litro, and past winners have gone on to recognition including nominations for the T.S. Eliot Prize and the Forward Prize.
Prizes include:
- £2,500 each for the winning poem and winning short story
- Publication in the Aesthetica Creative Writing Anthology
- Courses and masterclasses from Arvon and the Poetry School
- Subscriptions to Granta, London Magazine and Mslexia, and membership to the Litopia writers’ community
Eligibility:
- Open internationally with no age limit or set theme
- Poetry entries up to 40 lines; short fiction up to 2,000 words
Deadline: 31 August 2026 (late entries accepted 1–6 September with an additional fee) More information: aestheticamagazine.com/creative-writing-award
3. PESP 7: NFVF Digitisation Project Internship
Open to: South African citizens
The National Film and Video Foundation, working with the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture under the seventh Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme, is offering 200 paid Assistant Archivist positions across all nine provinces and the National Archives in Pretoria.
The programme is aimed at unemployed South African graduates and youth, giving successful applicants hands‑on experience digitising and preserving archival records.
Eligibility:
- South African citizens who are unemployed graduates or youth
- Applicants must not have previously participated in a PESP project
Deadline: 3 August 2026 More information: nac.org.za
4. Jakes Gerwel Foundation: Bosberg Book Writing Programme
Open to: South African emerging writers
Named after the mountain range beside its Paulet House base in Somerset East (KwaNojoli), Bosberg is the Jakes Gerwel Foundation’s flagship development programme for debut writers, with alumni including Audrey Jantjies, Lebo Mazibuko and Juliette Mnqeta.
Emerging writers may apply in one of three categories: novels, short stories or poetry. Selected writers complete an intensive development programme at Paulet House, after which the Foundation helps them submit their manuscript to a publisher.
Applications:
- Rolling submissions, with no fixed cut‑off date
- Final selection for the following year’s programme is made in November
More information: gf.org.za/residencies
5. Oliewenhuis Art Museum: Open Call for Solo Exhibition Proposals
Open to: South African visual artists
Oliewenhuis Art Museum in Bloemfontein, an outpost of the Iziko network of national museums, invites South African visual artists to submit proposals for solo exhibitions to be placed on its exhibition calendar, with a four‑year planning horizon.
The Museum covers the cost of transporting and insuring accepted artworks within South Africa, and artists are expected to attend the opening and a related walkabout.
Eligibility:
- Open to all South African visual artists, not limited to a particular province
- Proposals for outdoor exhibitions can also be accommodated
Deadline: Ongoing – no fixed cut‑off date
More information: dsac.gov.za
6. British Council: Connections Through Culture Grants 2026
Open to: artists and organisations in South Africa and 34 other countries, in partnership with the UK
The British Council’s Connections Through Culture programme funds creative collaborations between the UK and a defined list of partner countries, South Africa among them, for 2026.
Grants support creative practitioners, cultural professionals, festivals, biennials and collectives to develop and deliver cross‑disciplinary projects, with country partnerships eligible for between £5,000 and £15,000.
Eligibility:
- Individuals and organisations may apply
- Projects must involve collaboration between the UK and one of the 35 eligible partner countries, including South Africa
Deadline: 12 August 2026
More information: arts.britishcouncil.org/connections-through-culture
7. PLACE Network: Emerging Leaders Artivism Alliance – In Motion! Grant
Open to: groups with members in Africa, Europe or the MENA region
This open call supports small, cross‑border groups of “artivists” combining artistic creation with social impact, with priority given to teams that include members with a migration background.
Cross‑regional teams (for example, spanning Africa and Europe) can receive up to €2,500, while same‑region teams can receive up to €1,500, alongside mentoring and access to the wider Artivism Alliance network.
Eligibility:
- Groups of 2–4 members from at least two countries
- At least one member must belong to the Artivism Alliance network
- Projects must engage local communities and be delivered between December 2026 and May 2027
Deadline: 31 July 2026 (closing soon)
More information: place-network.org/emerging-leaders-artivism-alliance-2
8. Africa–Europe Partnerships for Culture: Connect and Create (Professional Mobility)
Open to: cultural organisations in Sub‑Saharan Africa, including South Africa, and the EU
Funded by the European Union and implemented by the Goethe‑Institut, Expertise France and the Institut français, this call supports delegations of performing arts and music professionals travelling between Sub‑Saharan Africa and Europe for festivals, markets, conferences and other industry gatherings.
Aimed at organisations rather than individual artists, it funds delegations of at least eight professionals from a mix of nationalities, with mobility activities to take place between February and December 2027.
Funding: €10,000 to €20,000 per delegation, covering travel, visas and insurance
Deadline: 30 September 2026
More information: ifprog.emundus.fr
9. The African Imaginary: Job Opportunities
Open to: candidates legally able to work in South Africa, based in Cape Town
The African Imaginary, a media platform spotlighting music, fashion, design and books from across the continent through its podcast, video content and events, is hiring for two roles at its Cape Town head office in Gardens.
Head of Editorial & Operations – a senior role working alongside the founder on editorial direction, creative oversight and team management. 3+ years’ experience in a senior editorial or creative operations role required. Salary in the region of R50,000–R60,000 per month.
Culture & Marketing Rep – a public-facing role representing the brand at events and festivals, shaping social content and tracking cultural trends. The role specifies that direct lived experience of being Black and African is essential, given the platform’s editorial focus and audience. 2+ years’ experience in marketing or content creation required. Salary in the region of R30,000–R40,000 per month.
Eligibility for both roles:
- Legally allowed to work in South Africa, with a valid passport and willingness to travel internationally
- A university degree (or, for the Culture & Marketing Rep role, equivalent experience)
- Full-time, Monday–Friday, from the Cape Town office
Deadline: Rolling – no fixed cut‑off date
More information: africanimaginary.com/jobs
