2024 ANNA Award Winner Revealed

WORDS Gina Dionisio

The ANNA Awards aims to recognise and nurture a new generation of women-identifying artists from the African continent and the diaspora. 

The annual ANNA Award, sponsored by ANNA Pure Organic, aims to discover, recognise, and nurture a new generation of women-identifying artists from Africa. ANNA Pure Organic is South Africa’s first locally manufactured, environmentally friendly and organic feminine hygiene product range.

This year there were a staggering 743 applications from 38 countries across the African continent. The 12 finalists who were shortlisted for the 2024 ANNA Awards are:

• Ethel Aanyu (Uganda)
• Yaknoabasi Jessicah Ene (Nigeria) 
• Marie Aimée Fattouche (Egypt)
• Kay-Leigh Fisher (South Africa)
• Leah Rachel Hawker (South Africa)
• Xanthe Scout Lardner-Burke (South Africa)
• Isabella Maake (South Africa)
• Ntsako Nkuna (South Africa)
• Lee-Ann Olwage (South Africa)
• Silindokuhle Shandu (South Africa)
• Xanthe Somers (Zimbabwe)
• Jana Visser (South Africa)

On 7 August Xanthe Somers was revealed as this year’s ANNA Award Winner.

“I am deeply honoured to be selected as this year’s ANNA Award winner, especially among such a remarkable group of finalists. I want to extend my deepest gratitude for this recognition and the opportunities it brings. This award will undoubtedly enhance my artistic career, offering new avenues for creative exploration and growth. It is vital to spotlight and elevate the voices of female African artists on the global stage, as our unique perspectives and stories contribute richly to the world’s cultural tapestry,” says Xanthe.

The winner receives R100,000, a residency programme hosted by SAFFCA, a presentation at the 2025 RMB Latitudes Art Fair, a profile on Latitudes Online, and a year’s supply of ANNA products.

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