WeeklySA_AdminAMBITION: A self-taught opera singer and an aspiring animator have each secured a R300 000 scholarship through the Arts & Culture Trust’s programme…
By WSAM Reporter
Opera singer Nhlawuleke Asher Shileng and visual and digital artist Lethabo July Boshomane have each won a R300 000 scholarship to pursue tertiary arts education in South Africa.
The two young artists from Limpopo were announced as the recipients of the 2026 Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) Nyoloha Scholarships at the MTN Innovation Centre in Fairlands, Johannesburg, on October 31.
Held in partnership with Nedbank, Sun International and MTN South Africa, the ceremony brought together creative industry leaders, corporate partners, programme alumni and media representatives, marking the conclusion of the programme’s fifth edition.
For Shileng, a self-taught 19-year-old from Gove Village near Giyani, the performing arts scholarship represents a significant step in a musical journey that began when he discovered opera in 2024.
Pursuing a genre unfamiliar to many in his community, he encountered scepticism but continued developing his voice, driven by his ambition to perform on international stages.
His Nyoloha showcase at The Village Theatre in Limpopo marked his first performance in a theatre. The scholarship now offers him an opportunity to pursue formal music studies and develop his talent further.
Boshomane (23) from Polokwane, traces her interest in visual and digital arts to a childhood love of drawing. That early enthusiasm developed into a passion for digital storytelling, animation and character development, with a particular interest in work reflecting African experiences and identities.
Her Nyoloha showcase was her first exhibition. It featured work exploring family relationships, marriage, gender-based violence and women’s efforts to escape abuse.With the scholarship, she hopes to develop the technical and creative skills needed for a career in animation, gaming and film.
The recipients were selected from a cohort of 60 young artists who completed four months of mentorship, professional skills training and industry exposure. An independent panel of industry experts assessed the finalists’ presentations and training scores before choosing the two scholarship winners. This year, the programme departed from its traditional format of a centralised final 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, staging showcases across the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, Limpopo and Gauteng.
Eleven finalists presented their work in theatres, community arts centres and other local creative spaces, bringing professional artistic experiences closer to their communities.
The approach also highlighted the role of community arts centres in nurturing grassroots talent and opening pathways into the wider arts sector.
ACT chief executive Jessica Denyschen said reaching young artists in remote, rural and peri-urban communities remained a central focus of the programme, particularly in provinces where such opportunities were less accessible.
Nedbank’s executive head of corporate social impact, Poovi Pillay, said previous recipients demonstrated how access to tertiary education could change a young artist’s prospects.
Sun International group social impact manager Heidi Edson said the scholarships could remove a major obstacle for young people seeking careers in the arts.
MTN Group chief sustainability and corporate affairs officer Nompilo Morafo congratulated the recipients and highlighted the growing importance of digital skills in the creative sector. She pointed to platforms such as the MTN Skills Academy as resources that could help young creatives develop skills for the modern economy.
Beyond funding tertiary studies, the programme helps young artists build professional networks, gain industry exposure and access paid opportunities in South Africa’s creative industries.
