The Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) Nyoloha Scholarship Programme (NSP) is entering its final stage, and excitement is mounting for the 2 signature events of the programme, namely the ACT NSP Exhibition and the ACT NSP Performing Arts Gala Showcase.
This year, ACT is proud to present the Visual Arts Exhibition at the MTN Head Office in Fairland, Johannesburg, on Thursday, 9 October 2025. The celebration will continue the following day with the Performing Arts Gala Showcase at the Market Lab in Johannesburg.
The exclusive invitation-only Visual Arts Exhibition and Gala Showcase will see industry leaders, select media, producers, and corporate partners engage with the next generation of talent. Scholarships of R300 000 each will be awarded to 2 outstanding young artists at these prestigious events. One artist from the performing arts and one from visual arts will have the opportunity to study at a South African arts institution of their choice. The gala performance will be live streamed to the rest of the country from the ACT social media channels.
The 60 participants hailing from across all 9 provinces making up the 2025 cohort have immersed themselves in intensive fortnightly training and mentorship. The visual artists have honed their craft under the guidance of Dahlia Maubane, award-winning photographer, multimedia designer, and arts facilitator. The performing artists have deepened their artistic expression and professional practice under the mentorship of award-winning musical theatre performer and practitioner Grant Towers.
From this remarkable group, 15 finalists have been selected to advance to the Nyoloha Finals Week. These young creatives will travel to Johannesburg for a fully sponsored, once-in-a-lifetime experience where they will participate in masterclasses, explore prominent art institutions, engage with industry leaders, and produce a professional theatre production and exhibition that will be followed by the reveal of the 2 winners. The 2 final events will be MCed by ACT Alumni and celebrated South African actor and comedian Philip Dikotla.
The Arts & Culture Trust is incredibly thankful to its long-term relationship partners, Nedbank and Sun International, whose continued support has resulted in growing artistic ecosystems and excellence in South Africa. The ACT NSP organisers are proud to have the MTN Foundation as a returning sponsor on board to bring a committed multi-year support for this programme. The ACT is grateful to Business and Arts South Africa, which has been supporting this programme since 2023.
Jessica Denyschen, CEO of ACT, commented: ‘The ACT Nyoloha Scholarship Programme empowers young artists to develop and showcase their skills on professional platforms. Over the years, it has trained and mentored over 200 artists, provided numerous professional opportunities, and nurtured some of the country’s finest talents, including Candice Modiselle, Dillon Windvogel, Rick Baloyi, Tankiso Mamabolo and Pallance Dladla. We look forward to celebrating the 2025 finalists’ achievements at the gala showcase and visual arts exhibition’.
Niel Nortjé, Manager of the MTN Art Collection, says: ‘Congratulations to our 15 NSP finalists for 2025! We are very pleased and excited to be working with you again, especially the visual art finalists who will showcase and open their exhibition at the MTN Head Office. Our partnership and involvement with ACT and the NSP show our commitment to providing digital skills and career development opportunities to our unemployed youth in the arts sector’.
Poovi Pillay, Executive Head of Corporate Social Investment at Nedbank, said: ‘Selecting 15 finalists from 60 talented participants was no easy task. We hope all continue to grow and build fulfilling careers in the creative industry. Our sincere thanks to mentors Dahlia Maubane and Grant Towers for their dedication, and congratulations to the 15 finalists − we can’t wait to see your work in the finals’.
Heidi Edson, Group Socioeconomic Development (SED) Specialist at Sun International, says: ‘We believe in more than just opportunity − we believe in investing in potential. Each participant’s journey is not only a story of craft and perseverance, but also of voice and vision. It is inspiring to witness how these young creatives translate hope into practice, and we are proud to stand alongside them as they shape new narratives for our communities’. The event may be live streamed via YouTube using this link: https://youtube.com/live/Utuay0nF-iA?feature=share
