The African
Women
in Art Award
Women
in Art Award
before
15/01
15/01
Nominations
The African Women in Art Award is a visual art competition for women designed to showcase the immense talent of women visual artists from the Sub-Saharan Africa.
Drawing
Painting
Digital Art
Mixed Visual Art
Sculpture
Classic works created with pencil, charcoal, ink, or similar materials.
Works created with oil, watercolor, acrylic, or other traditional painting techniques.
Works created using digital technologies such as graphic tablets, drawing software, etc.
Works combining various techniques and materials, such as collages, installations, and other multimedia pieces.
An artistic form in which hard or plastic materials are worked into three-dimensional art objects.
Each nomination will be judged separately, and winners will be determined in each category. We define established artists as individuals whose work is represented in museums and galleries, who have participated in regional, national or international exhibitions and who have been recognized in the media.
The theme for AWAA 2026/2027 - «Aquality»
Aquality is the theme of the new season of the African Women in Art Award. Its name combines two concepts: aqua (water) and equality. This combination provides a framework for artistic exploration of the relationship between people, society and the environment, inviting us to consider water not only as a natural resource but also as an essential part of social and cultural life.
Water is essential to every human being. Yet access to it, its distribution and the opportunities it provides are shaped by both environmental and social factors. These issues affect regional economic development, people's quality of life, equality of opportunity and social justice. As a result, any discussion of water inevitably becomes a discussion of how society functions and how equitably its resources are shared among different communities.
Through this theme, the African Women in Art Award expresses its support for the international research project The Zambezi River: Economy, Society, Soul, which combines socioeconomic analysis with an exploration of the region's cultural identity. For millions of people, the Zambezi is much more than a river or a source of natural resources. It shapes everyday life, connects communities, influences cultural traditions and sustains the bond between generations and their ancestral lands. Its significance cannot be measured by economic indicators alone; it is also rooted in history, collective memory and a sense of belonging.
As part of AWAA 2026, we invite women artists to explore these questions through their own artistic languages and personal experiences. How does water shape the lives of individuals and entire communities? What does equitable access to a shared resource mean? How are natural wealth, equality of opportunity and quality of life interconnected? How can cultural identity be preserved in times of change?
We invite artists to explore water as a point of intersection between nature, society and culture, and to reflect on what a more equitable and sustainable future might look like.
Water is essential to every human being. Yet access to it, its distribution and the opportunities it provides are shaped by both environmental and social factors. These issues affect regional economic development, people's quality of life, equality of opportunity and social justice. As a result, any discussion of water inevitably becomes a discussion of how society functions and how equitably its resources are shared among different communities.
Through this theme, the African Women in Art Award expresses its support for the international research project The Zambezi River: Economy, Society, Soul, which combines socioeconomic analysis with an exploration of the region's cultural identity. For millions of people, the Zambezi is much more than a river or a source of natural resources. It shapes everyday life, connects communities, influences cultural traditions and sustains the bond between generations and their ancestral lands. Its significance cannot be measured by economic indicators alone; it is also rooted in history, collective memory and a sense of belonging.
As part of AWAA 2026, we invite women artists to explore these questions through their own artistic languages and personal experiences. How does water shape the lives of individuals and entire communities? What does equitable access to a shared resource mean? How are natural wealth, equality of opportunity and quality of life interconnected? How can cultural identity be preserved in times of change?
We invite artists to explore water as a point of intersection between nature, society and culture, and to reflect on what a more equitable and sustainable future might look like.
Eligibility Criteria
To ensure fairness and inclusivity, the following eligibility criteria will be applied:
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ResidencyParticipants must be legal residents of Sub-Saharan Africa. -
OriginalityOur managers are always ready to answer your questions. You can call us at the weekends and at night. -
AgeArtists must be 18 years or older at the time of submission. -
Theme AqualityThis is an opportunity to reflect on traditions, examine their relevance in the modern world, and reinterpret both personal and collective experiences. -
MediumsSubmissions must be at least three pieces of the designated mediums: drawing, painting, digital or mixed visual art. Artists can submit their works into all four categories (minimum three pieces per category). -
Artist skillsThe criterion of the artist's skill within the framework of this competition is the degree of the viewer's emotional response to the work of art, expressed through the depth of feelings, the strength of experiences, the complexity of associative series, as well as the uniqueness of the artist's style and the ability to express his idea brightly and unconventionally.