Unisa Art Gallery earns national recognition with NACA nomination

The Unisa Art Gallery has earned national recognition after being nominated for the Outstanding Art Gallery Award at the 2026 National Arts and Culture Awards (NACAs), held at Sun City on 21 August.

The gallery was among several Unisa representatives recognised at the annual awards, which celebrate excellence and achievement across South Africa’s creative sector.

Curator Tshegofatso Seoka was nominated for the Outstanding Curator Award, while Prof Gwenneth Miller received a nomination in the Outstanding Visual Artist Award category for her solo exhibition, omgekeerd. Musician Viwe Siyabonga Mkizwana was also nominated for the Outstanding Musician Award for Black Child.

Hosted annually by the National Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, the NACAs recognise individuals, institutions and organisations that have made significant contributions to the development and promotion of arts and culture in South Africa. This year’s awards were held under the theme, “Celebrating Our Nation’s Creative Excellence”, with a focus on talent, the business of the creative sector and nation building.

For the Unisa Art Gallery, the nomination reflects its growing role as both an academic resource and a public cultural space.

Prof Gwenneth Miller with other nominees of interior design visual art

Seoka said the recognition affirmed the gallery’s commitment to making art accessible, relevant and socially engaged.

“This nomination affirms our commitment to making art accessible, relevant and socially engaged. The Unisa Art Gallery has consistently served as a bridge between academia, artists and communities, providing a platform for both established and emerging voices to showcase their artwork.”

Over the years, the gallery has hosted exhibitions that have contributed to conversations around African art, heritage and social justice. These have included The African Reunion, the Russian Exhibition and the Peter E. Clarke exhibition, presented in collaboration with the William Humphreys Art Gallery.

The gallery also plays a role in developing emerging talent and creating opportunities for students and young artists to engage with the visual arts.

Its work extends beyond exhibitions, contributing to the documentation of South Africa’s artistic heritage while creating space for critical dialogue about society, identity and culture.

The College of Human Sciences Executive Dean, Prof Zethu Nkosi, congratulated the gallery team and the other Unisa nominees on their recognition.

Tshegofatso Seoka, Unisa Art Gallery Curator together with the Minister of Sports, Art and Culture, Gayton Mckenzie

She said the nominations reflected the quality of work being produced by the team and its contribution to Unisa’s broader vision for arts, culture, knowledge and creativity.

“The nomination is well deserved and reflects the gallery’s excellence and its alignment with Unisa’s vision of shaping arts and culture through knowledge and creativity.”

Although the gallery did not take home the award, Nkosi said the nomination itself was an important achievement.

“We might not have come back with the award, but the nation and the world at large know about the work done by the young team at the Unisa Art Gallery. Continue to serve with discipline and pride, knowing that you were counted amongst the greatest in the country.”

The recognition places the Unisa Art Gallery among institutions contributing to the growth and visibility of South Africa’s creative sector, while reinforcing its role as a space where academic scholarship, artistic practice and public engagement intersect.

* By Nnana Martina Jege, CHS: Communications and Marketing