02/03/2026
Henrike Grohs Art Award 2026 Announces 20-Artist Shortlist.
AWARD
Goethe-Institut and Grohs Family reveal shortlisted candidates for the fifth and final edition of the biennial prize.
The Goethe-Institut and the Grohs Family have announced the 20 shortlisted candidates for the Henrike Grohs Art Award 2026. A total of 490 applications were received from 29 countries across Africa, marking the highest level of participation since the award’s inception.
The Henrike Grohs Art Award is a biennial prize established by the Goethe-Institut and the Grohs family in memory of Henrike Grohs, former Head of the Goethe-Institut in Abidjan. The award recognises an artist or arts collective living and working on the African continent and practising in the field of visual arts. The 2026 edition marks the fifth and final iteration of the prize.
Applications closed on 14 November 2025. The selection committee comprised Ken Aïcha Sy, Grace Kalima and Don Handa. Reflecting on the process, the committee described the experience as both demanding and intellectually enriching, citing the maturity, rigour and conceptual depth of the submissions. The committee underscored the importance of platforms such as the Henrike Grohs Art Award in supporting artistic excellence and critical reflection across the continent.
Shortlisted artists
The 20 shortlisted artists for the 2026 award are:
Adam Yawe, Kenya
Alida Ymele Epse Siegni, Cameroon
Aliou Diack, Senegal
Bright Ackwerh, Ghana
Fatim Soumaré, Senegal
Halim Ramses, Egypt
Katesi Jacqueline Kalange, Uganda
Lois Arde-Acquah, Ghana
Mago Aristote Betsaleel, Democratic Republic of Congo
Ntsako Nkuna, South Africa
Odur Ronald, Uganda
Olivier Fall Masey, Democratic Republic of Congo
Omolemo Rammile, South Africa
Oumar Ball, Mauritania
Phumlani Ntuli, South Africa
Rania Atef, Egypt
Rehema Chachage, Tanzania
Tegene Kunbi, Ethiopia
Usha Seejarim, South Africa
Younès Ben Slimane, Tunisia
Further information on the award and previous recipients is available at www.henrikegrohsartaward.africa.
