Stellenbosch Launches Art of Origin Stellenbosch, its Most Inclusive Cultural Initiative to Date

Stellenbosch Launches Art of Origin Stellenbosch, its Most Inclusive Cultural Initiative to Date

STELLENBOSCH, SOUTH AFRICA, March 2026. Stellenbosch has launched Art of Origin Stellenbosch, a town-wide art competition and exhibition bringing together every generation and creative community in the region for the very first time.

Organised by Visit Stellenbosch in partnership with the Art Association Stellenbosch, the initiative is open to all: primary and high school learners, university students, emerging and established artists, township collectives, community groups, and creatives from the town’s senior living communities.

Submissions are accepted across all mediums and across three age divisions: 7 to 18, 19 to 65, and 66 and above.

Winning artworks will be featured in the 2027 Visit Stellenbosch Visitors Guide, distributed to over one million prospective visitors worldwide, giving Stellenbosch’s artists international exposure on a scale rarely accessible to emerging or community-based creatives.

Five thematic category winners will each receive R10,000 in prize money, with one artwork selected for the front cover of the guide. Submitted works will be exhibited at the PJ Olivier Art Centre, and the official opening and winners’ celebration will take place on 4 June 2026, followed by a public exhibition running from 5 to 11 June 2026.

“Stellenbosch has always been a creative town. But Art of Origin is something we have never done before, an open invitation to every artist, school, community collective, and resident of our senior living communities in our town to tell its story in their own voice. More than an art competition, this is a cultural movement,” said Annemie Liebenberg, CEO of Visit Stellenbosch

“This is a moment that belongs to every artist in Stellenbosch, not just the established ones,” agreed Mr Coert Venter, Chairman of the Art Association Stellenbosch. “Art of Origin is the first initiative of its kind in this town, one that genuinely opens the door to every generation and community. We’re bringing our community together by inviting a child from a Stellenbosch school, a township artist, and a painter from a senior home to all hang their work in the same exhibition. That is the Stellenbosch we want the world to see.”

A Creative First For Stellenbosch

Art of Origin Stellenbosch is one of the most tangible expressions of Visit Stellenbosch’s new destination-wide brand positioning, Unexpected Firsts. Unforgettable Moments, and forms part of this expansive initiative celebrating innovation and milestone moments across the town.

While rooted in this broader vision, Art of Origin stands as a distinctive cultural initiative in its own right, designed to leave a permanent creative and tourism legacy for Stellenbosch and the artists who call it home.

Thematic Categories And Submissions

Artists are invited to submit original works across five thematic categories that reflect the heart of Stellenbosch:

Taste: Culinary culture, food artisans, markets, and local produceWine: Vineyards, harvest, cellars, heritage estates, and wine lifestyleStay: Hospitality, architecture, boutique hotels, and guesthousesExperience: Festivals, cycling, hiking, university life, and the artsCommunity: The people of Stellenbosch and their diversity, heritage, and shared stories

Artists may enter across more than one theme, with each submission judged independently. All mediums are welcome, including painting, drawing, mixed media, digital art, and collage.

Important Dates

Submission Deadline: 25 May 2026 at 17:00 (No late entries will be accepted)Judging Date: 3 June 2026Opening Evening & Prize Announcement: 4 June 2026Exhibition Dates: 5–11 June 2026

Contact Information

For submission guidelines, entry forms, and further information, contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 079 084 6183