Six exceptional artists have been acknowledged as 2025 Standard Bank Young Artist Award Winners. Standard Bank and the National Arts Festival announced this year’s recipients of the SBYA. As the awards reach the milestone anniversary of 40 years, a new generation of trailblazers takes their place in this storied legacy.
More than 180 directors, actors, dancers, playwrights, musicians, poets, and visual artists have received this honour since its inception – a constellation of talent that includes William Kentridge, Andrew Buckland, Mmakgabo Helen Sebidi, Mbongeni Ngema, and Nduduzo Makhathini.
Standard Bank Young Artist Award Winners 2025
Already lauded both at home and abroad, this year’s recipients are bold, boundary-breaking voices, shaping South Africa’s creative narrative on a global scale.
- Asanda Ruda (Dance): From the community halls of Soweto to performing internationally, Ruda’s choreography is steeped in history, movement, and myth. A member of the Pina Bausch Foundation, she has captivated audiences with Kemet (Black Lands), her acclaimed solo work that earned her the 2025 Choreographers Research Residency Award in Paris.
- Siyasanga “Siya” Charles (Jazz): A magna cum laude Juilliard-graduate trombonist, Charles’s career is already a global story, shaped by collaborations with luminaries like Hugh Masekela and Grammy-winning artists. Through her Siya Charles Sextet, she’s redefining South African jazz, layering the country’s rich musical traditions with a fresh, fearless sensibility.
- Muneyi (Music): Limpopo-born Muneyi’s music pulses with memory, myth, and meaning. His lyrics, inspired by his Makhulu (grandmother), explore love, loss, and identity, transcending language while remaining deeply rooted in the cadences of Tshivenda storytelling.
- Modise Sekgothe (Poetry): Sekgothe isn’t just a poet—he’s a shapeshifter of sound, rhythm, and form. From Washington DC to Gothenburg and Brussels, his words have reverberated on global stages, bending the boundaries of spoken word into new realms of performance art.
- Calvin Ratladi (Theatre): Ratladi’s interdisciplinary vision is unapologetically expansive. A SAFTA-winning artist, he garnered Ovation Awards at the National Arts Festival and showcased his work at festivals in Germany and Luxembourg, pushing South African theatre into new, immersive dimensions.
- Nyakallo Maleke (Visual Arts): Maleke’s drawings are journeys in and of themselves—maps of migration, vulnerability, and spatial memory. With exhibitions across Europe and a Master’s from Switzerland’s edhea, her work expands the conversation around drawing as both medium and metaphor.
Launchpad for bold artistic exploration
Winning an SBYA award is more than a career milestone – it’s a launchpad for bold artistic exploration and a gateway to opportunities that transcend borders. Each winner receives financial support, mentorship, and the chance to showcase their work at the National Arts Festival, ensuring that their creative journey continues to evolve and flourish.
“We are proud to support this new generation of visionaries as they continue to shape the future of our cultural landscape and ensure that our creative heritage thrives for decades to come,” said Bonga Sebesho, Standard Bank’s Group Head of Sponsorship.
In a nutshell
2025 Standard Bank Young Artist Award winners
Top picture: Dancer Asanda Ruda