In consideration of the school holiday period, the Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) has extended the application deadline for the 2026 ACT Nyoloha Scholarship Programme (NSP) to Monday, 27 April 2026, to give young performing and visual and digital artists across South Africa more time to meet the deadline.
The Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) is proud to announce its continued partnership with Afro Geek Fest through the launch of the ACT x Afro Geek Rising Talent Competition, a closed call for ACT Nyoloha Scholarship Programme Visual/Digital Arts Alumni.
ACT returns to Afro Geek Fest this year following its first participation in 2025, where local ACT alumni were given the opportunity to showcase their work at the festival. Building on that foundation, the 2026 collaboration marks a growing relationship between ACT and Afro Geek, rooted in a shared belief in the power of community, creativity, representation and artistic opportunity.
Afro Geek Fest is a vibrant celebration of township pride and Pan-African geek culture, bringing together cosplay, gaming, comic books, technology and creative expression. Through this partnership, ACT and AfroGeek are creating a focused platform for young visual artists to imagine and profile African heroes through original artwork.
For the ACT x Afro Geek Rising Talent Competition, sponsored by XP-Pen, invited ACT Nyoloha Visual and Digital Arts alumni are asked to design a graphic novel or book cover featuring an African superhero. Artists may either create an original African superhero character or choose an existing African hero and interpret the character in their own visual style.
The competition is designed to celebrate bold African imagination, visual storytelling and the many ways artists can reframe heroism through culture, futurism, mythology, fantasy, sci-fi and everyday community experience. The winner will be announced by the adjudication panel at the Afro Geek Fest on 22 August 2026.
Afro Geek Owner Tapelo Zama says “Our purpose as Afro Geek has always been to champion African storytellers, artists, and innovators by creating opportunities for them to showcase their talent and build sustainable creative careers. Partnering with the Arts & Culture Trust on the Rising Talent Competition perfectly reflects that vision. Together, we’re not only celebrating exceptional talent but also helping to cultivate the next generation of creators who will shape the future of our country’s creative economy. We’re also honoured to have XP-PEN as the sponsor of this initiative. By investing in emerging artists and providing them with the tools to bring their ideas to life, XP-PEN is playing an important role in nurturing creative excellence. Their support makes opportunities like this possible, and we are sincerely grateful to have them join us in empowering South Africa’s rising creative voices.”
ACT CEO Jessica Denyschen says: “ACT believes deeply in the power of community and art. This partnership with AfroGeek gives ACT alumni an exciting opportunity to see their creativity in conversation with Pan-African geek culture, township pride and the visual language of heroes. It is especially meaningful to create space for young artists to imagine African heroes and to see themselves, their communities and their stories reflected back with pride.”
The winning artist will receive an XP-Pen drawing tablet.
This is a closed competition for ACT Nyoloha Scholarship Programme Visual/Digital Arts Alumni. Submissions must be original artworks, and AI-generated or AI-assisted submissions will not be accepted.
Key dates
- Entries opened: 28 July 2026
- Entries close: 11 August 2026
- Shortlist reveal: 15 August 2026
- Winner announced: 22 August 2026 at AfroGeek Fest
Through this growing partnership, ACT and Afro Geek continue to support local creative talent while celebrating the cultural power of African storytelling, imagination and visual arts.
ENDS
Interview and media enquiries:
Keitumetse Mbatha
marketing@act.org.za
About the Arts & Culture Trust
Celebrating 32 years of arts excellence, the Arts & Culture Trust is South Africa’s premier independent arts development and investment organisation. ACT’s primary aim is to increase the capacity for arts and culture initiatives to create sustainable futures through development and investment in innovative projects that make meaningful contributions to society.
Through structured development programmes, ACT supports all expressions of arts and culture including literature, music, visual art, theatre and dance, as well as festivals, community arts initiatives, arts management, education and administration. Over the past 32 years, ACT has supported more than 830 arts, culture and heritage development projects nationwide, including creative small businesses.
About Afro Geek Fest
Afro Geek is a dynamic platform & community dedicated to amplifying African creativity, innovation & storytelling within gaming, art, tech & geek fandom.
Our mission centres on uplifting African voices by providing creators, artists & gamers with the tools, partnerships & platforms needed to showcase their work & reach global audiences.
Built on the core values of inclusion & connection, it unites diverse perspectives into a supportive network for exchanging ideas & driving representation in geek culture. By breaking boundaries through unique events & an online store, Afro Geek inspires the next generation of innovators & redefines global geek culture through an authentic African lens.