Akissi Beukman, an artist based in Pretoria, South Africa, has been named the Regional Artist of the Month for October 2024. She is the first of three candidates competing for the title of Artist of the Region (Southern Africa), which honors an artist who embodies the rich artistic traditions of Southern Africa, including Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
In 2024, BE OPEN Art continues its BE OPEN Regional Art initiative, a competition celebrating emerging artists whose work reflects their regional, cultural, and ethnic identities. The final phase of this year’s program focuses on the Southern African countries and will last for three months. The regional winner for Southern Africa will be announced and awarded €500 at the end of December 2024.