National Arts and Culture Awards 2026 Winners Revealed at Sun City

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The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture honoured South Africa’s leading artists, designers, writers and cultural institutions across 20 categories at the National Arts and Culture Awards 2026

The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) has announced the winners of the National Arts and Culture Awards (NACA) 2026 following a glittering ceremony at Sun City in the North West on 21 August 2026.

Broadcast nationally on SABC 1, the third edition of the awards celebrated South Africa’s creative achievements across six disciplines. Twenty competitive awards recognised artists, cultural practitioners and institutions whose work continues to shape the country’s cultural identity and creative economy.

Held under the theme “Celebrating Our Nation’s Creative Excellence,” this year’s ceremony highlighted the connection between artistic talent, the creative economy and nation building.

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National Arts and Culture Awards 2026 winners

Heritage

Outstanding Museum Award: KwaZulu-Natal Museum

Visual Arts and Craft

Outstanding Art Gallery Award: Gallery MOMO
Outstanding Crafter Award: Madoda Fani – Southern Guild
Outstanding Curator Award: Bridget Phakathi – Nkosi Sikelel’ iAzania
Outstanding Visual Artist Award: Mellaney Roberts – Waar Bloed Nie Loop Nie

Design

Outstanding Architecture/Interior Designer: Colin Payne
Outstanding Fashion/Textile Designer: David Tlale
Outstanding Graphic & Multimedia Designer: Siyabonga Masuku – ZULOSOFI

Performing Arts

Outstanding Actor in Theatre: Themba Ndaba – Breakfast with Mugabe
Outstanding Comedian Performance: Nomthandazo Rubushe – Comedy Meets Gospel
Outstanding Dance Production: Gregory Maqoma – Genesis: The Beginning and End of Time
Outstanding Musician Award: Sisa Benjamin Zako – 45 Years of Sizwe Zako
Outstanding Poet Performance: Koleka Putuma – Water
Outstanding Theatre Production: The Fatherland

Audio Visual

Outstanding Actor TV/Film Award: Zenande Mfenyana
Outstanding Film Fiction Award: Norman Maake – Sebata, The Beast

Literary

Outstanding Book, Fiction: The Fragile Mental Health of Strong Women by Michelle Kekana
Outstanding Book, Non-Fiction: Imperfect Harmony by Kutlwano Masote
Outstanding Children’s Fiction: Die beste sussie vir ‘n baba-draak by Fanie Viljoen
Outstanding Publisher: Jacana Media

Ministerial Awards honour South African icons

Beyond the competitive categories, the Ministerial Awards recognised legendary figures whose contributions have left a lasting mark on South Africa’s arts and cultural landscape.

This year’s recipients included Leon Schuster, Alfred Ntombela, Felicia Mabuza-Suttle, Rebecca Malope, Alec Khaoli, Miriam Makeba, Mduduzi Tshabalala, Don Mattera and Nkosinathi Maphumulo.

Gayton McKenzie celebrates South Africa’s creative future

Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie congratulated the winners and nominees, saying the awards demonstrated the remarkable depth of South African talent while honouring those who built the country’s cultural legacy.

He emphasised that recognising veteran artists remains essential, while celebrating emerging talent helps ensure future generations see a place for themselves in South Africa’s creative industries.

A celebration rooted in South African history

The National Arts and Culture Awards 2026 embraced the creative concept “Going Way Back,” celebrating South Africa’s cultural memory while highlighting artists carrying that legacy into the future.

The concept held particular significance during National Women’s Month and against several historic milestones, including:

70 years since the 1956 Women’s March
50 years since the 1976 youth uprising
30 years of South Africa’s Constitution
50 years of television in South Africa

Hosted by Pamela Mtanga and Vafa Naraghi, the evening featured performances and tributes spanning generations of South African creative talent.

Partners supporting South Africa’s creative economy

Several partners contributed to the broader NACA 2026 programme, extending support beyond the awards stage.

JETOUR, through Super Group Dealerships, supported mobility throughout the awards weekend.
Metropolitan focused on financial resilience and legacy protection.
AMKA and its beauty brands showcased local hair and make-up talent.
YAMAHA donated musical instruments for the Ministerial Outreach Programme at Paardekraal Primary School in Rustenburg.

These partnerships reflect the growing collaboration between government, business and the creative sector in creating opportunities for South African artists.

A weekend celebrating national excellence

The National Arts and Culture Awards 2026 formed part of a national weekend of recognition, alongside the South African Sport Awards, celebrating excellence across both South Africa’s cultural and sporting landscapes.

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