THE DALRO VISUAL ARTS MERIT AWARD
Presented by The BNAP Foundation
We have partnered with The BNAP Foundation to establish The DALRO Visual Arts Merit Award. This Merit Award is a unique opportunity for young South African artists to accelerate their careers and make their mark in the art world.
The DALRO Visual Arts Merit Award Winner will receive:
- A year of immersive learning and creation
Our Merit Award offers a comprehensive 9-month residency programme. The winning artist will be provided with a working studio for nine months at Ellis House in Johannesburg, a materials stipend, and a living stipend. This residency runs concurrently with the BNAP Residency, offering a rich schedule of crit-sessions, workshops, and exhibitions throughout the year.
- Your solo exhibition at the DALRO Gallery
The culmination of this year-long journey is the artist’s first solo exhibition, to be held at the prestigious DALRO Gallery in Johannesburg in March 2025. This exhibition will showcase the body of work developed over the residency, offering a platform for the artist to share their vision with the world.
- Navigating the Art Industry with Expert Guidance
Beyond the creation of art, our programme introduces artists to industry experts who provide invaluable assistance in navigating the complex processes of the art industry. This includes guidance on business registration, financial management, preparation for the secondary market, and working with galleries.
Who can apply?
The DALRO Visual Arts Merit Award is open to visual artists who meet the following criteria:
- Must be between the ages of 21 to 35 years of age.
- Must be a South African citizen.
- Must be visual artists who work with different mediums, including but not limited to printmaking, painting, drawing, mixed media, and other forms of art.
- Must be based in South Africa.
- Must have never held a solo exhibition.
- Should not be represented by a gallery/artist manager.
- Must be willing to commit and avail themselves for the full duration of their residency.
- Winning artists will be expected to attend workshops, attend progress meetings, create a body of work which aligns to the project proposal, mandate DALRO once they meet the qualifying criteria and write a detailed report at the end of their residency.
Submission Guidelines
Artists are required to submit the following information:
- A detailed Project proposal indicating what you will be working on towards and during the residency.
- A detailed timeline of how you will plan to execute the project.
- A budget estimate for the proposed project.
- Artist statement.
- Biography.
- Motivation letter (not more than 500 words).
- A representative portfolio of artworks produced in the past 12 months. Two artworks from the portfolio must be available for an exhibition.
- Substantial Curriculum Vitae (CV) with full names, references, addresses, and contact numbers.
- A certified copy of your ID/Passport.
A selection committee will deliberate and select a group of finalists who will present their artworks in a group exhibition to be held at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.
An award ceremony will take place at the JSE where winners of the DALRO Visual Arts Merit Award and the BNAP Residency will be announced and go on to begin their residency.
Join us in this exciting journey of artistic growth and achievement with the DALRO Visual Arts Merit Award.
Please make sure to send all the required documents. Incomplete applications and late submissions will not be accepted. Insufficient documentation on your application will result in immediate disqualification.
Deadline for submissions is 29 February 2024 at 17:00 (SAST).