Pietermaritzburg, 11 August 2026: After an inspiring showcase of creativity, imagination and young talent, Liberty Midlands Mall’s ARTopia 2026 “Ocean Odyssey” has officially concluded, with the winning schools and young artists announced following this year’s record-breaking exhibition. ARTopia 2026 marked the biggest edition of the campaign to date, welcoming an outstanding 23 schools from Pietermaritzburg and the Midlands and showcasing 652 pieces of artwork created by learners from Grades 1 to 7.
Throughout the exhibition, the mall’s Centre Court was transformed into a vibrant gallery of underwater imagination. From colourful coral reefs and marine life to mythical sea creatures, hidden treasures and ocean adventures, the 652 artworks demonstrated the remarkable creativity and individuality of the region’s young artists.
Celebrating our 2026 Winners
Following the public voting process, three schools emerged as the winners of ARTopia 2026, each winning R15 000, sharing a total prize pool of R45 000.
Liberty Midlands Mall congratulates:
- Category 1 – Springhaven Primary School – represented by Tumoho Mbatha
- Category 2 – Allandale Primary School – represented by Azrah Dawood
- Category 3 – Scottsville Primary School – represented by Ayanelisa Gwala
Special congratulations go to all learners whose creativity captured the imagination of shoppers, as well as their schools, teachers and families who encouraged and supported their artistic journeys. The three overall winning artworks will now live beyond the exhibition as they are transformed into exclusive ARTopia merchandise, including colouring books, pencil cases and sling bags, which will be introduced later this year.
While three schools ultimately took home the top prizes, ARTopia 2026 was a celebration of every learner who participated. The incredible response reflects the depth of young creative talent within Pietermaritzburg and the Midlands, as well as the enthusiasm of local schools to provide learners with opportunities to express themselves through art.
Lawrence Joubert, General Manager of Liberty Midlands Mall, says this year’s response demonstrated how ARTopia continues to grow as a platform for young creativity. “ARTopia 2026 has been an incredible celebration of our young artists and the schools that support them. To have 23 schools participate and receive 652 artworks is something we are immensely proud of. We congratulate our winning schools and learners, but we also celebrate every child who contributed an artwork and helped bring Ocean Odyssey to life. Their creativity, imagination and enthusiasm made this year’s exhibition truly special.”
Liberty Midlands Mall also extends its appreciation to the schools, educators, parents, families and shoppers who supported ARTopia 2026. A special thank you goes to Exclusive Books, Execuspecs, Vodacom, McDonald’s, SD Pather and Wicked Karting for generously sponsoring gifts for the winners and runners-up. Their support helped make ARTopia 2026 an even more memorable and rewarding experience for the young artists.
From encouraging learners to participate to visiting the exhibition and casting votes, the community played an important role in making this year’s campaign the biggest ARTopia yet. The conclusion of the Ocean Odyssey exhibition may mark the end of this chapter. Still, the creativity of its young artists will continue to be reflected in the winning designs and the next phase of the project.
For more information on Liberty Midlands Mall and upcoming events, visit midlandsmall.co.za or follow @libertymidlandsmall on Facebook or Instagram.