Innibos National Art’s Festival Craft Awards

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Celebrating the Makers
ART AID launched a prestigious craft awards programme at the Innibos National Arts Festival, spotlighting excellence and innovation in South African craft.
Craft makers, particularly those outside major urban centres, rarely get national recognition or platforms that elevate their work beyond local markets.
Wooden sculpture of an anthropomorphic goat standing upright with a calm expression, large ears, and curved horns. The figure has human-like arms, hands folded at the front, and hoofed feet. The surface is smooth and reddish-brown in colour.
A colourful wooden sculpture of a person in a blue suit, red shirt, and tie, wearing glasses, holding a black phone to their ear, and standing on a striped base with patterned shoes. The figure has exaggerated facial features and a stylised appearance.
A painted wooden figurine of a woman with dark skin, wearing a colourful skirt, red scarf, blue shoes, and metal bangles. She holds a black mobile phone to her ear, and her hair is covered by a green and red headscarf.
A tall, wooden mortar and pestle with intricate, geometric carvings in a zigzag pattern. The mortar is cylindrical and slightly flared at the base and rim. The pestle is smooth and rounded, both are polished and reddish-brown in colour.
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Awards categories curated and facilitated
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Submissions received nationally
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Finalists exhibited at Innibos
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Top winners featured in follow-up design showcases
ART AID curated and facilitated seven national craft awards, inviting submissions from across South Africa. Creators were assessed on design, technique, and cultural relevance, and winners were showcased at Innibos to national audiences and media.
The awards celebrated underrepresented makers, opened new market and media opportunities for winners, and amplified the visibility of South African craft as a vital and thriving creative industry.
Wooden sculpture of an anthropomorphic goat standing upright with a calm expression, large ears, and curved horns. The figure has human-like arms, hands folded at the front, and hoofed feet. The surface is smooth and reddish-brown in colour.
A textured brown ceramic vessel with handles sits on a pink plinth beside a wooden fish sculpture on a yellow stand. The background features large orange and dark green panels, and the floor is patterned with brown and cream tiles.
Large sculpture of a leopard made from beads climbs a tree branch against an orange background with a repeating black pattern. The leopard is yellow with black spots and intricate beadwork, giving a textured, lifelike appearance.
A carved wooden sculpture of a person is placed in front of a colour-blocked wall with yellow, green, and blue sections. Above the sculpture hangs a loosely woven, net-like textile with vertical coloured threads running through it.
Two colourful wooden sculptures stand on a green surface. The left figure is a man in a blue suit and red tie, wearing glasses, holding a phone to his ear. The right figure is a woman in traditional dress, also holding a phone to her ear. Both are detailed and vibrant.
A man in glasses, a checked shirt, jeans, and brown shoes stands indoors beside a grey pedestal displaying colourful, winged shoes. Behind him are art panels covered in vibrant, small items, and the floor is tiled in beige and brown.
A ceramic bull sculpture with a mottled brown, black, and cream finish stands on a green surface against a plain slate blue wall. The bull faces right, showing its horns, muscular build, and a slightly raised tail.
Three colourful carved wooden figures stand in a row. The tallest is a doctor with glasses, stethoscope, and white coat. The middle figure wears a blue suit and red tie, holding a phone to his ear. The smallest is dressed in vibrant, patterned clothes and a green cap.
A metallic, abstract bowl with an intricate, irregular lattice design sits on a bright red surface against a solid blue background. The bowl's golden hue and organic, coral-like structure catch and reflect light.
A woman in a long red dress and white trainers stands on a tan floor, holding a mounted silver antelope skull with curved horns. Beside her is a black-draped table displaying a shiny, metallic crown. The wall behind her is divided into gold and cream sections.
A gold, stylised bull skull sculpture with long, pointed horns is mounted on a smooth blue wall. The skull has an intricate, openwork design with geometric cut-outs, giving it a modern, artistic appearance.
A wood sculpture of a fish on a red base sits on a concrete floor in front of a backdrop with vertical panels in orange, blue, and green. Sunlight filters in from the right, with part of a black studio light visible on the left.
A silver, textured metal bowl with an irregular, jagged rim sits on a green surface. The inner part is smooth and reflective, whilst the outer edge features clustered, organic shapes. Behind it is a blue fabric with a yellow and green circular pattern.
A photo of an art gallery with a wall displaying
A beaded curtain art piece hangs on a yellow wall. It depicts a man's face and upper body surrounded by green foliage. The beads are arranged to form his features, blending with leafy patterns, creating a layered, semi-transparent portrait effect.
A colourful Basotho blanket hangs on a wall. It features geometric patterns with earthy tones, including brown, blue, white, and red, bordered by a row of vibrant coloured squares at the top. The fabric has a textured, woven appearance.
A large, dark wooden mortar with engraved patterns sits on a blue surface. A matching pestle leans inside it. The background is a red fabric with a repetitive circular pattern, bordered by cream-coloured walls.
A tall, wooden mortar and pestle with intricate, geometric carvings in a zigzag pattern. The mortar is cylindrical and slightly flared at the base and rim. The pestle is smooth and rounded, both are polished and reddish-brown in colour.
Three white, textured, oval vases of varying heights are arranged on a dark surface. The background is divided vertically, with the left side a muted green and the right side a mustard yellow. Bright light highlights the vases' patterns.
An indoor space with several colourful rectangular plinths—pink, yellow, blue, green—on a tiled floor. The background features large panels in red, white, green, orange, and grey. Two people stand near the back. The ceiling has a grid pattern.
A dark wooden sculptural object stands on a black surface in front of a vertical textile with red, yellow, black, grey, and white horizontal and vertical stripes. The background has red, black, and blue colour blocks.
A tall person with a black afro wig, wearing a fitted black outfit, white scarf, and patterned trainers, stands next to a carved wooden statue of a person in red attire holding a tall staff. They pose in front of a colourful, patterned background panel.
A woman with voluminous curly black hair, wearing a vibrant rainbow-striped jumpsuit, stands smiling in front of a colourful, abstract elephant painting displayed on a white gallery wall. She clasps her hands and looks relaxed amid an art exhibition.
A ceramic bull sculpture stands on a green plinth. Above it hangs a colourful portrait of a person with a headwrap, warm-toned clothes, and a vivid leafy background, set against a muted green wall.
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