Date & time
6:00 PM – 12:00 AM CAT
24-hour: 18:00–00:00
21st edition · 2026
Nominations
Enter now for the awards night at CIELA Resort and Spa on . Entries close 2 October 2026.
Countdown to the night
Event local time Thu, 10 Dec 2026 · 6:00 PM CAT
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Venue
CIELA RESORT AND SPA, Bonanza Estate, Lusaka, Zambia
Get directionsDress code
Black-tie with a touch of creativity
About the night
The 21st Edition of the prestigious national artistic honour and award ceremony. The Ngoma motivates, recognises and celebrates artistic excellence. The Ngoma Awards recognise artists in music, dance, theatre, community theatre, fashion, media arts, comedy, visual arts and creative writing.
2026 entry guidelines
Read these before you submit. Membership of a National Arts Association is mandatory.
Eligibility
Strictly limited to Zambian artists, artistic works, groups, and organisations.
Entry period
Works must have been published, publicly displayed, and/or performed from 1 November 2025 to 2 October 2026.
AI content ban
No work generated wholly or substantially by artificial intelligence is eligible.
Languages
English, Braille, Zambian Sign Language, and/or any indigenous Zambian language. Foreign-language media works need Zambian subtitles.
Mandatory membership
Entry is restricted to fully paid-up members or affiliates of the nine National Arts Associations.
Copyright
Entries must be original and comply with Zambian copyright, neighbouring rights, and intellectual property laws. Adaptations, renditions, and collaborations must be declared and cleared.
Adjudication
The Zambia Arts Adjudicators Panel (ZAAP) reviews entries. Selected popular-vote awards use 40% public vote and 60% ZAAP review; all other awards are 100% ZAAP. Scores are verified by independent auditors.