New Anna Art Award: Identifies and celebrates women in South Africa

Two female-centric South African brands, ANNA, and Latitudes have collaborated to create an exciting new art award. The award aims to discover, recognise, and nurture a new generation of women in South Africa.

 A mission to encourage and empower women

 Juanita Kotzé, Creative Director of ANNA – Pure Organic Pads and Liners, South Africa’s first locally produced, environmentally friendly sanitary range, believes this award is part of their mission to support and empower women. “ANNA is about liberation, belonging, sustainability and truth, and I can’t think of a better way to share and express this ethos than through the creation and celebration of art.”

 According to Lucy MacGarry, co-founder of Latitudes, one of the fastest growing online platforms that showcases art from Africa, the ANNA Award honours women artists who have shown remarkable originality, imagination, and dedication in their creative careers. “The ANNA Award is designed to give space to women’s stories through the medium of visual art. We’re looking forward to the award becoming an important annual event in the world of contemporary art on the continent,” she adds. 

 Inclusive to all

 Latitudes and ANNA believe that the ANNA Award should be inclusive. As such, no formal art training is required to apply, there are no age restrictions for applicants, and the competition is open to women artists working in any medium. 

 Twelve finalists will be selected, and the ANNA selection committee will review the submissions:

 1. Makgati Molebatsi – Arts advisor, Curator, and Senior Art Specialist at Aspire Art Auctions.

2. Refiloe Mpakanyane – Weekend breakfast host, 702.

3. Candice Chirwa – Menstruation activist, speaker, and academic.

4. Marianne Fassler – Fashion Designer, Leopard Frock.

5. Jo-Ann Strauss is a South African model, public speaker, and businesswoman.

6. Nina Carew – Curator of Latitudes.

The ANNA award winner will receive an R100,000 cash prize, a month’s residency at PLAAS #inplaasvan in Franschhoek, South Africa, a profile on Latitudes Online, and a year’s supply of ANNA products. The winning piece of art will be added to the ANNA Awards Collection. The twelve finalists will be presented to the Latitudes audience, who will vote on the Audience Award winner.

 Enter today

Applications are open until 24 June 2022. That means there is exactly one month left to enter! The 12 finalists will be announced in July, and the winner will be announced on Women’s Day, 9 August 2022. 

 For more information or to enter, go to latitudes.online/anna-award