BASA KZN PARTNERSHIPS

Two KZN projects are included in a total of nine business-arts partnerships awarded BASA Supporting Grants in the fourth cycle of the 2011/2012 financial year.

Flatfoot Dance Company is sponsored by NCP Alcohols while PANSA’s Musho Theatre Festival is sponsored by the Daily News.

The diversity of projects and geographical spread is testament to the multiple manifestations of the business-arts nexus in South Africa.

They cover small-scale community projects, like the Tiakeni Pottery and Multi-Purpose Cooperative, sponsored by Mafade Trading, in Limpopo, to urban arts events, among them the Johannesburg International Mozart Festival sponsored by Standard Bank, RMB, Lufthansa, Northwards, RCME, Apollo Music Trust and Samro.

Once again, the geographical spread covers several provinces, including Flatfoot Dance Company (sponsored by NCP Alcohols) in KwaZulu-Natal, Mahikeng Jazz Festival (MJF) in North West Province (sponsored by Mosegedi & Associates) and the Open House Architectural Tour – Adele de Santos Monograph Exhibition (sponsored by the Cement and Concrete Institute) in the Western Cape.

The value of a supporting grant is significantly more than the cash sum awarded.

Business and Arts South Africa’s Supporting Grant programme is designed to assist in activating sponsorship for a cross-section of arts projects in different regions of the country. This is done by providing financial support to a project that has come out of an already existing relationship between a business and arts organisation. In this way, the supporting grant helps leverage sponsorship for arts projects.

To apply for a BASA Supporting Grant, both the arts applicant and the sponsor must complete the application forms, which are designed to encourage the two partners to work together and identify areas of potential benefit. Business and Arts South Africa allocates funds to the project once it has assessed how the partnership benefits both the sponsor and the recipient.

The closing date for the next Business and Arts South Africa Supporting Grants cycle is January 16, 2012. More information at www.basa.co.za or e-mail info@basa.co.za