The Art Bank of South Africa and the Free State Art Collective have come on board as the latest partners to the New Breed Art Competition, so-doing significantly increasing the national exposure and career advancement the competition holds for Free State artists.

Now in its fifth year, the New Breed Art Competition is presented by Phatshoane Henney Attorneys, in association with Oliewenhuis Art Museum, as it has been since its inception in 2016. With ArtbankSA and the FSAC now joining forces with this one-of-a-kind visual arts competition aimed at uncovering new and emerging Free State artists, this platform for showcasing local art is put on an exciting new trajectory.

“Because Phatshoane Henney Attorneys is committed to promoting emerging new breed artists, we are thrilled to welcome ArtbankSA and the Free State Art Collective on board as official competition partners to further leverage the growth and development of Free State art and artists. Each entity is influential in own right in not only the Free State but also the national art arena, and through their linking up with the competition’s vision of discovering new local talent, the benefit for artists in entering, exhibiting during, as well as winning the competition, is greater than ever,” says Magdel Louw, Competition Coordinator and Marketing and PR Manager at Phatshoane Henney Attorneys.

As a national programme of the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, the Art Bank of South Africa is tasked with purchasing art from emerging South African artists. As competition partner, the Art Bank will be intimately involved in the competition providing artists selected to participate in the New Breed Art Competition Exhibition a valuable opportunity to gain exposure with this important national programme, as well as attend a skills development workshop conducted by the ArtbankSA.

“ArtbankSA continuously seeks out associates. Our vision of a prosperous visual art sector through the development of young contemporary South African Artists is what Phatshoane Henney Attorneys seeks to achieve through its New Breed Art Competition. When the engagements between our two organisations started, we did not hesitate to associate ourselves with this initiative. The symbiotic ethos of both our organisations continuously pave a way to a prosperous and self-sustaining future for our sector,” remarks Nathi Gumede, acting project manager of ArtbankSA.

In addition, artists selected to participate in the New Breed Art Competition Exhibition at Oliewenhuis Art Museum, including the final winners, automatically qualify for consideration and possible inclusion in the exclusive Free State Art Collective, founded and headed up by Karen Brusch.

The FSAC’s main purpose is to develop and support the careers of all member artists and to raise awareness of talent in the Free State, thereby developing a more visible national presence. The Collective also aims to mentor emerging artists and to provide a network of information and opportunity. Furthermore the FSAC initiates workshops offered by professionals, providing further skills and conceptual development training, with the intention of keeping Free Sate artists connected to national trends and new innovations in art production and practice.

"Entering a competition such as the New Breed Art Competition and being chosen as a finalist, is an invaluable opportunity for growth. All artists who are serious about their careers enter competitions. It is a way of cultivating your art practice, being acknowledged as an artist and gaining visibility,” Brusch commented at the recent launch of the 2021 competition.

Louw agrees. “This year’s new competition partnerships hold especial value to all entrants in that it allows for the possible opening of very important doors to opportunity. We look forward in great anticipation to the talent that’s bound to come forth from the Free State art arena once entries to the competition open later this year.”

More information and entry forms are available at www.newbreedart.co.za, Phatshoane Henney Attorneys' reception at 35 Markgraaff Street and Oliewenhuis Art Museum in Bloemfontein.