Corporate Citizenship
Absa L'Atelier Art Competition
The Absa L’Atelier Competition is South Africa’s most prestigious art competition, offering young emerging artists between the ages of 21 and 35 the opportunity to receive recognition for their work and develop their talents abroad. Held annually, it is the longest running national arts competition – having launched the careers of many South African artists who have become household names on a global level.
The top two artists win a range of prizes, including cash, as well as a coveted opportunity to study at the Cité Internationale Des Arts in the heart of Paris, where they can develop their talent surrounded by leading artists from across the world.
Absa believes in supporting the arts to contribute to the creative and intellectual prosperity of South Africa as a whole – ultimately benefiting all South Africans. As the only financial services institution in the world that has actively embraced art as part of its corporate image, we have shown that we are not only the biggest corporate patron of the visual arts in South Africa, but is also the custodian of the largest South African corporate art collection.
The art is not hidden in a vault somewhere, but is proudly displayed in Absa’s foyers, offices and branches. It’s there for all to appreciate and enjoy. In fact, Absa has been referred to in the media as ‘the bank inside an art gallery!’
For the 2013 Absa L'Atelier Art competition, entries must be submitted between 4 March and 8 March and this year two additional residencies are being made available for two Merit Award winners. These include a two-month stint at the Sylt Foundation on the Island of Sylt in Germany, and a one-month stay at the Ampersand Foundation in New York.
The prizes for this year’s competition:
- First Prize: R125,000 from Absa, a return air ticket to a return air ticket to Paris and at least three months (and not more than six months) study and accommodation at the Cité Internationale des Arts
- Gerard Sekoto: A return air ticket to Paris and three months’ stay in the Cité Internationale des Arts, sponsored by Alliance Française: The French Institute and the French Embassy
- Merit Award Prizes:
- Return flights to and from Germany, a R5,000 per month stipend, R2,000 from Absa and two months’ stay at the Sylt Foundation,
- Return flights to and from New York, a $35 per day stipend, R2,000 from Absa and one month’s stay at the Ampersand Foundation. The winner of this prize will also become a Fellow of the Ampersand Foundation.
*The entry form with all the details of this year’s competition is on the right.
Web address for
Absa L'Atelier
