The Blessing Ngobeni Art Prize is an annual award to assist young and emerging visual artists in launching their careers in the art industry. The award acknowledges excellence in emerging artists (under 35) specializing in various media to gain exposure and launch their careers. It is an international flagship program of the BNAP Foundation.

The Blessing Ngobeni Art Prize was initiated by artists Blessing Ngobeni, with Teresa Firmino Kutala and Olwethu de Vos. This was in response to the positive impact of a residency award on Blessing Ngobeni's own career. Together, they aimed to create a positive impact in the industry and help other artists overcome the challenges they themselves faced as artists. The prize addresses the difficulties faced by emerging artists in establishing sustainable careers, including making a living from their art and accessing necessary support structures. The BNAP Foundation, which the prize led to the establishment of, has been in existence for 9 years, and next year will celebrate a decade of supporting emerging artists.

The Blessing Ngobeni Art Prize aims to show artists that there are many opportunities in the art industry. Artists exist because there are support structures around them, such as galleries, project spaces, mentorship programs, and residencies. The prize introduces these young artists to these possibilities and advises on how to make the most out of these opportunities. It aims to provide and grant the artists access to much more, from extending the residency internationally to collaborating with galleries around South Africa to coordinate group shows for emerging artists, and participating in art fairs. This will hopefully diversify the art industry and thus create strong networks between artists, art businesses, and other organizations.

Thus far, the BNAP Foundation, through its initiatives, has collaborated with Everard Read/CIRCA Gallery, Art Angels, The Melrose Gallery, MMArtHouse, Aspire Art Auctions, Bag Factory, Infra-Afrika Advisory, Ellis House Art Building, Nyko Enterprise, Boschendal, DALRO, JSE, Art Lefatshe Fine Art consultancy and development agency.

Visual artists who work with different mediums, including but not limited to printmaking, painting, drawing, mixed media, and other forms of art, are invited to submit their applications. The rigorous selection process ensures that the most promising artists are chosen. Applicants are evaluated based on their portfolio, project proposal, biography, artist statement, and CV. Finalists participate in a group exhibition at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), where the award ceremony will take place and the winners will be announced. A panel of industry experts selects the winner from a shortlist of finalists.