15 Years of the Cassirer Welz Award
For fifteen years, the Cassirer Welz Award has been one of South Africa’s most prestigious awards for celebrating emerging artistic talent from across the Sub-Saharan region. Funded by Strauss & Co and supported by the French Institute of South Africa in 2025, the award provides young artists with a three-month residency at the Bag Factory Artists’ Studios, including mentorship, professional development opportunities, curatorial support, a solo exhibition and a stipend to cover materials and expenses.
Founded in 2011 by Nobel Prize winner Nadine Gordimer, the award was originally established as the Reinhold Cassirer Award to honour her late husband, a renowned art collector and dealer who founded Sotheby’s South Africa in 1968. When Stephan Welz, Cassirer’s protege who inherited the business upon Cassirer’s retirement in 1980, passed away, the award was renamed the Cassirer Welz Award, paying tribute to both men’s impact on South Africa’s cultural landscape.
“Since its inception, this award has helped the winners launch their careers and start making a name for themselves. It recognises artistic excellence, encouraging creative practice, and providing the supportive space and presentation platforms required by emerging artists. This award is an important part of Strauss & Co’s ongoing and substantial commitment to young talent in southern Africa and the rest of the continent – and is a powerful example of the company’s investment in the art of the future.”
— Susie Goodman, Executive Director, Strauss & Co
Smiso Cele announced as the Cassirer Welz Award Winner 2025
We are delighted to announce the winner of the Cassirer Welz Award 2025 Smiso Cele, who will be awarded a 3-month artists residency at Bag Factory Artists’ Studios, culminating in a solo exhibition.
To further celebrate the longevity of the Award as well as Strauss & Co’s commitment, Bag Factory Artists’ Studios, will host an exhibition celebrating the creative path of the winners to date with a group exhibition opening on 30th August, titled Trajectories.
In 2025 the Award is made possible with the ongoing support of Strauss & Co and additionally funded by the French Institute of South Africa.
Art Club Johannesburg: Cassirer Welz Award 2025
Strauss & Co in association with Bag Factory Artists’ Studios will announce the winner of the prestigious Cassirer Welz Award at Art Club. Join us for the award ceremony and a talk by Strauss & Co’s Richard “Specs” Ndimande, former winner of the Cassirer Welz Award.
The award’s alumni represent some of the most promising contemporary African artists, including Tawanda Takura(2024), Bulumko Mbete (2023), Mpumelelo Buthelezi (2022), Levy Pooe (2020), Duduzile (Dudubloom) More(2019), Olivia Botha (2018), Richard ‘Specs’ Ndimande (2017), Nompumelelo Ngoma (2016), Keneilwe Mokoena (2015), Thato Nhlapo (2014), Asanda Kupa (2013), Blessing Ngobeni (2012), and Tshepo Mosopa(2011).
After fifteen years of nurturing creative excellence, both Bag Factory Artists’ Studios and Strauss & Co remain steadfast in their dedication to support the next generation of contemporary African artists.
ABOUT BAG FACTORY ARTISTS’ STUDIOS
The Bag Factory is a non-profit contemporary visual art organisation in Newtown, Johannesburg. With a pioneering 33-year history of providing a supportive infrastructure for artists, the Bag Factory is unique in combining art making with cultural debate and art exhibitions, thereby creating a fertile international environment for experimentation, innovation, and cultural dialogue between creatives in South Africa and the rest of the world. We provide studio space to a cross-generational community of Johannesburg-based artists and host a prestigious international artist and curator residency programme. We present regular exhibitions in our gallery that showcase new work by emerging artists to the wider public, and we also support the professional development of artists and curators throughworkshops, mentorship, and the prestigious David Koloane and Cassirer Welz awards. All our programmes are accompanied by a public programme that encourages greater understanding of contemporary visual art and stimulates interaction between artists and the local community. We are affiliated with the international Triangle Network.
ABOUT FRENCH INSTITUTE OF SOUTH AFRICA (IFAS)
Established in 1995, the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS) is the cultural arm of the Embassy of France to South Africa, Lesotho and Malawi. It supports artistic creation, education, and research while fostering collaboration between South Africa, France, and the broader African continent.
Each year, IFAS supports more than 100 cultural and creative projects across various artistic disciplines, working with partners in South Africa, Lesotho, Malawi, France, and Europe. Through these initiatives, IFAS promotes young talent, professional development, and cultural exchange, reinforcing the role of arts and culture as powerful drivers of inclusion and social cohesion. Our support of the 15th edition of the Cassirer Welz Award is a testament to this, as the award is an essential incubator for emerging African artists, offering the winners a valuable space for mentorship, growth, and connection to the larger industry.
