ACT awards 2 life-changing R300 000 arts scholarships to young Limpopo artists

Opera singer Nhlawuleke Asher Shileng and visual and digital artist Lethabo July Boshomane have each been awarded a scholarship valued at up to R300 000, bringing an exciting close to the programme’s fifth edition.

Johannesburg, South Africa: From Giyani to Polokwane, 2 young artists from Limpopo have risen to the top of the 2026 Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) Nyoloha Scholarship Programme. Nhlawuleke Asher Shileng, an aspiring self-taught opera singer, and Lethabo July Boshomane, a visual and digital artist with ambitions in animation and filmmaking, have been named this year’s scholarship recipients, each receiving a scholarship valued at up to R300 000 towards tertiary arts education in South Africa. 

The announcement was made on Saturday, 31 October 2026, at the exclusive ACT Nyoloha Scholarship winners event, hosted at the MTN Innovation Centre in Fairland, Johannesburg, in partnership with Nedbank, Sun International and MTN South Africa.

The celebration brought together the 2 winners, select media, creative industry leaders, corporate partners and programme alumni for an afternoon of entertainment, a visual and digital arts exhibition, networking and the much-anticipated announcement.

For 19-year-old Nhlawuleke from Gove Village near Giyani, the scholarship is a remarkable step in a journey that began with his discovery of opera in 2024. Pursuing a musical genre unfamiliar to many in his community, he faced scepticism but continued developing his voice as he worked towards his ambition to perform on international stages. His Nyoloha showcase at The Village Theatre in Limpopo was his first experience performing in a theatre. Now, with the performing arts scholarship, he has an opportunity to pursue formal music studies and take that dream further.

For 23-year-old Lethabo ‘July’ from Polokwane, the journey into visual and digital arts began with a childhood love of drawing. What started as a hobby grew into a passion for digital storytelling, animation and character development, with aspirations to create work that reflects African experiences and identities. Her Nyoloha showcase was her first exhibition, presenting work that explores family relationships, marriage, gender-based violence and women’s escape from this. With the scholarship, she aims to build the technical and creative skills needed to pursue a career in animation, gaming and film.

Their achievements bring an exciting close to a year in which Nyoloha changed its traditional finals format of a centralised major production and exhibition in Johannesburg. Under the theme #NyolohaTranscends, ACT took the programme on the road for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic, travelling across the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, Limpopo and Gauteng. Rather than gathering finalists for a single centralised showcase, the 11 young artists presented their work in theatres, community arts centres and local creative spaces, bringing professional artistic experiences into their communities.

The interprovincial showcases also recognised the important role of community arts centres in nurturing grassroots talent and creating access to opportunities beyond the mainstream arts sector.

Both scholarship recipients emerged from a cohort of 60 young artists in 2026 who participated in 4 months of mentorship, professional skills training and industry exposure. An independent panel of industry experts adjudicated the finalists’ presentations and training scores before selecting the 2 recipients.

Jessica Denyschen, CEO of the Arts & Culture Trust, commented: ‘Over the past iterations of the programme, one of our focuses has been reaching young artists in remote, rural and peri-urban communities, where opportunities of this nature don’t always reach the people, they’re designed for, particularly in provinces such as Limpopo. This year, through our partnerships with community centres and arts organisations across the country, we were able to make progress in this reach. Taking Nyoloha across numerous South African provinces allowed us to reach talent that might otherwise have remained on the periphery of the arts sector. Seeing both scholarship recipients come from Limpopo is particularly meaningful because it shows that we’re reaching the young artists this programme is intended for. Nhlawuleke and Lethabo have earned this opportunity, and their achievements reaffirm why bringing these platforms closer to communities matters.’

Poovi Pillay, Executive Head of Corporate Social Impact at Nedbank, commented: ‘It is incredibly exciting to envisage the future for these 2 wonderful artists from Limpopo. We have seen how the opportunity to study at a tertiary institution has changed the life trajectory of past winners, and we know it will do the same for Nhlawuleke and Lethabo. What we have also seen from past finalists is how they have benefitted from being part of this programme and gone on to pursue their ambitions and dreams. This is impact and we are proud to be part of it.’   

Heidi Edson, Group Social Impact Manager at Sun International, added: ‘A scholarship of this value can change the direction of someone’s life, particularly when the cost of studying stands between a young person and the career they want to pursue. For Nhlawuleke and Lethabo, this is an opportunity to take their artistic abilities into a formal learning environment, develop their skills and build careers in industries where opportunities can be difficult to access. Sun International has supported ACT for more than 3 decades because we recognise the importance of investing in opportunities that have a lasting impact.’

Nompilo Morafo, MTN Group Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer, says: ‘Our heartfelt congratulations to Nhlawuleke and Lethabo as the NSP 2026 winners. MTN is proud to share this accomplishment with you. Our trusted partnership with the ACT, have once again enabled our support of your creative journey from early career development to enterprise creation. In an increasingly digital creative sector, we look forward to supporting you not only as a provider of digital tools and connectivity but also through platforms such as the MTN Skills Academy, which can assist you with the digital skills needed to thrive in the modern economy. We look forward to seeing you thrive and support your bright connected futures.’ 

The 2026 recipients join 8 other scholarship recipients recognised since Nyoloha’s relaunch in 2022. Beyond the scholarships, ACT continues to connect young artists to further education, professional networks and paid opportunities in South Africa’s creative industries.