ARTopia 2026 Records 652 Entries From 23 Schools

Liberty Midlands Mall’s children’s art competition recognises three young winners after a record year of participation across Pietermaritzburg and the Midlands.

Pietermaritzburg, 28 October 2026: Liberty Midlands Mall’s annual ARTopia children’s art competition enjoyed its biggest year yet, with a record 652 artworks submitted by learners from 23 schools throughout Pietermaritzburg and the Midlands. This year’s Ocean Odyssey theme inspired an impressive exhibition of colourful, imaginative artworks created by children in Grades 1 to 7, celebrating young artistic talent while giving local schools an opportunity to be part of a much-loved creative initiative.

The exhibition was made up of children’s interpretations of the underwater world, and the creativity was remarkable. Shoppers who browsed the display could vote for their favourite artworks. Following the public vote, three young artists were named the overall winners, each earning R15 000 for their respective schools from a total prize pool of R45 000.

The winning artists were Tumoho Mbatha from Springhaven Primary School, Azrah Dawood from Allandale Primary School and Ayanelisa Gwala from Scottsville Primary School.

But the celebrations didn’t end with the announcement of the winners. Liberty Midlands Mall extended the excitement with ARTopia Returns, a special weekend activation from 26 September to 11 October that brought the winning artworks to life on a range of limited-edition merchandise.

Young Artists Take the Spotlight

The three winning designs were transformed into colourful colouring books, pencil cases and sling bags, giving shoppers an opportunity to take home a piece of ARTopia while celebrating the creativity of the young artists. Additionally, over three weekends, shoppers who spent R350 at participating stores could present their till slips at the ARTopia activation and pick a fish for the chance to win one of the exclusive items.

Special Saturday meet-and-greets also gave shoppers the opportunity to meet the young artists behind the winning designs, adding a personal touch to the celebrations and giving the children another opportunity to enjoy their moment in the spotlight.

Lawrence Joubert, General Manager of Liberty Midlands Mall, says the record participation and enthusiastic response from schools and shoppers made this year’s ARTopia particularly rewarding: “ARTopia continues to grow every year, and seeing 652 artworks from 23 schools was absolutely wonderful. The artistic flair and imagination that went into the Ocean Odyssey theme was incredible, and we were proud to give these young artists an opportunity to showcase their talent to the wider community. We also wanted to do something special with the winning artworks this year, so turning them into merchandise was a lovely way to extend the celebration. It was wonderful to see shoppers enjoying the designs and meeting the talented children who created them.”

Liberty Midlands Mall thanks the participating schools, learners, teachers and parents for their enthusiasm and support, as well as Yokico, Execuspecs, Vodacom, McDonald’s, SD Pather and Wicked Karting for sponsoring gifts for the winners and runners-up.

For more information on Liberty Midlands Mall and upcoming events, visit midlandsmall.co.za or follow @libertymidlandsmall on Facebook or Instagram.