RMB Talent Unlocked 2026 is open to SA visual artists aged 18–35 in Gauteng and KZN. Here’s who qualifies, what you get, and how to apply before 24 August.
Are you a visual artist working in painting, drawing, printmaking or photography, based in Gauteng or KwaZulu-Natal, and serious about turning your practice into a career? This one’s for you, but move fast.
RMB and FirstRand Foundation have opened applications for RMB Talent Unlocked 2026, an immersive professional development programme built to help emerging South African artists strengthen their practice and business skills at the same time. It’s run in partnership with Artist Proof Studio, the KwaZulu-Natal Society of the Arts and Bag Factory, and it’s designed around one core idea: talent alone doesn’t build a career, but talent plus mentorship, studio access and industry exposure does.
Who this is for
The open call is aimed squarely at full-time practising visual artists aged 18 to 35, who are South African citizens based in Gauteng or KwaZulu-Natal, working in painting, drawing, printmaking and/or photography.
Beyond that, there’s a specific set of eligibility requirements to check before you apply:
- You need to demonstrate consistent work output as a full-time practising artist
- A minimum NQF 4 qualification (Grade 12 or equivalent)
- You can’t currently be represented by a gallery that has already given you a solo exhibition
- You’ll need to commit to having no prior obligations with other galleries or shows between August and November 2026
- Full availability for all scheduled mentorship and capacity-building sessions is required
- A one-week face-to-face programme in Gauteng during October or November 2026 is non-negotiable, though transport and accommodation are covered
Non-attendance or missed deliverables can result in removal from the programme, so this is built for artists who can genuinely clear their schedule for it.
What you get out of it
This isn’t a once-off workshop. Selected artists receive studio space and ongoing support throughout the 2026 programme, plus workshops covering legal literacy, financial literacy, fundraising and proposal writing, media coaching, mental wellbeing and marketing. Timing is deliberate too: the programme is aligned with the Joburg Art Fair’s peak season and exhibiting platforms in September 2026, giving participants real exposure at the moment the industry is paying attention.
Participants will also develop and refine a body of work under the guidance of experienced artistic mentors and curators, and get invited into the exclusive Talent Unlocked alumni community once the programme wraps.
Your chances, honestly
RMB hasn’t published applicant numbers, so there’s no hard percentage to give you. What matters more is fit: this is not for artists dabbling part-time or juggling gallery commitments through November. The eligibility criteria are specific and enforced, so an application that ticks every box cleanly will move further than a strong portfolio attached to an ineligible circumstance. Read the criteria list twice before you start the form.
How to apply
You’ll need two documents ready before you start:
- An updated resume
- A digital portfolio of 5 to 10 artworks, good quality images with artwork details, submitted as a single PDF
Label every upload with your name and what it is (for example, “Themba.P_ArtistCV”). The programme has flagged accurate labelling as important, so don’t skip it.
Apply directly at www.talentunlocked.firstrand.co.za. Applications sent by email will not be accepted and will be deleted, so don’t send your portfolio to the enquiries address instead of using the form. For questions, contact talent.unlocked@firstrand.co.za with “RMB Talent Unlocked” in the subject line.
Applications close 24 August 2026. If you’ve been meaning to get your portfolio in order, this is the week to actually do it.
