The art award was originally known as the Volkskas Bank Atelier Competition and was established in 1986 and kept this name up to 1998. From 1999 to 2001 the award was known as the Absa Atelier competition. From 2004 the Gerard Sekoto award was added to the competition, to support the most promising artist taking part in the competition with an income of less than R60 000 per annum. This award is supported by the French Embassy, the French Institute and Alliance Française. In the early 1980s acquired three atelier apartments at the from where the name Atelier Competition has its origin. These assets are held in trust in terms of an Occupational Rights Agreement by the SANAVA Cité des Arts Trust, valid until 22 March 2060.
Previous Winners and Merit Awards
1986
Winner Penny Siopis Merit Award Winners Deborah Bell, Andrew Breebaart, Dennis Purvis and Simon Stone
1987
Winner Clive van den Berg Merit Award Winners Andries Botha, Philippa Hobbs, Tommy Motswai and Karel Nel
1988
Winner Diane Victor Merit Award Winners Kay Cowley, Guy du Toit, Johann Louw and Margaret Vorster
1989
Winner Hennie Stroebel Merit Award Winners Caroline Jones, Walter Oltman, Giulio Tambellini and Jeremy Wafer
1990
Winner Barend de Wet Merit Award Winners Andrew Breebaart, Jean Bruwer, Guy du Toit and Judy Woodborne
1991
Winner Virginia McKenny Merit Award Winners Nicole Donald, Ruth Mileham, Johann van der Schijff and Pierre van der Westhuizen
1992
Winner Paul Edmunds Merit Award Winners Wayne Barker, Marc Edwards, Dominic Thorburn and Minette Vári
1993
Winner Dominic Thorburn Merit Award Winners Siemon Allen, Diek Grobler, Adam Letch and Russel Scott
1994
Winner Jonathan Comerford Merit Award Winners Andrew Putter, Kevin Roberts, Henk Serfontein and Alastair Whitton
1995
Winner Kevin Roberts Merit Award Winners Moses Ceywayo, Gordon Froud, Diek Grobler and Peet Pienaar
1996
Winner Isaac Khanyile Merit Award Winners Hanneke Benadé, Wim Botha, Semkelo Bunu and Berco Wilsenach
1997
Winner Ilse Pahl Merit Award Winners Lucas Bambo, Cecile Heystek, Kim Lieberman and Richardt Strydom
1998
Winner Karl Gietl Merit Award Winners Wayne Barker, Hanneke Benadé, Jean Brundit and Peter Rippon
1999
Winner Ryan Arenson Merit Award Winners Brad Hammond, Fritha Langerman, Albert Redelinghuys and Vanessa van Wyk
2000
Winner Brad Hammond Merit Award Winners Joni Brenner Natasha Christopher, Colbert Mashile and Nigel Mullins
2001
Winner Stefanus Rademeyer Merit Award Winners Marco Cianfanelli, Daniel Hirschman, Brent Meistre and Merryn Singer
2002
Winner Marco Cianfanelli Merit Award Winners Natasha Christopher, Alastair McLachlan, Benninghoff Puren and James Webb
2003
Winner Sanell Aggenbach Merit Award Winners Retha Bornmann, Natasha Christopher, Patricia Driscoll and Berco Wilsenach
2004
Winner Conrad Botes Merit Award Winners Stephen Hobbs Pieter Hugo, Lize Muller and Robert Rich Gerard Sekoto Award Winners Billie Zangewa
2005
Winner Berco Wilsenach Merit Award Winners Katherine Bull, Lawrence Lemoaona, Patrice Mabasa and Mikhael Subotzky Gerard Sekoto Winner Lawrence Lemoaona
2006
Winner Ruth Sachs Merit Award Winners Nathani Lüneburg, Riason Naidoo, Anet Norval and James Webb Gerard Sekoto Winner Nomusa Makhubu
2007
Winner Pierre Fouché Merit Award Winners Nina Barnett, Wayne Matthews, Lyndi Sales and Jaco Spies Gerard Sekoto Winner Nina Barnett
2008
Winner James Webb Merit Award Winners Christiaan Hattingh, Lunga Kama, Alhyrian Laue and Antonia Steyn Gerard Sekoto Winner Retha Ferguson
2009
Winner Stephen Rosin
2010
Winner Ilka van Schalkwyk Merit Award Winners Abri de Swardt, Philiswa Lila, Collen Maswanganyi and Hanje Whitehead. Gerard Sekoto Winner Bongumenzi Ngobese
