The Arts and Culture Trust (ACT) heralds
its 20th year with changes to the format of its funding programme, refining its
practical vision towards greater sustainability for the industry.
The newly structured Professional
Development Programme, funded by Nedbank Arts Affinity, is designed to support
the development of a reliable, sustainable and vibrant arts and culture sector
in South Africa. The programme makes provision for support of activities that
increase job opportunities for and develop sustainability of South African arts
and culture organisations, associations, co-operatives, networks, individual
artists and practitioners.
Applicants will have two opportunities during
the course of a year to apply for once-off grants, whilst three-year grants
will be allocated during the first funding cycle in 2014 and again towards the
end of 2016.
Three-year grants will be made available
for arts and culture organisations, associations, co-operatives and networks
for activities that specifically improve their business management development
skills and activities that would impact the organisation positively within a
three-year period.
ACT Chief Executive Officer, Pieter Jacobs,
explains: “Multi-year support for arts and culture organisations is scarce and
many organisations find it increasingly difficult to maintain the
infrastructure that supports arts programming and production. We believe that
multi-year support, that is not necessarily ring-fenced for a single project,
will facilitate better planning, which is often not possible due to ad-hoc
short-term support or inconsistent flows of income.”
Once-off grants of up to R60,000 each will
be awarded in each funding cycle. Arts and culture organisations, associations,
cooperatives, networks, individual artists and practitioners are eligible to
apply for a range of activities that support their professional advancement on
an ongoing basis; and stimulate the industry through the development of
cutting-edge professional South African work.
"In celebrating 20 years of playing a
strategic role on the arts and culture development and funding landscape, we
take delight in some of the positive changes the Trust has inspired since the
concurrent birth of our democracy in 1994.” says Maseda Ratshikuni, Head of
Nedbank Cause Marketing. “Since ACT's inception, more than R20 million has been
disbursed to more than 800 projects across South Africa. At the same time the
Trust's investment portfolio has tripled. It is encouraging to know that
fulfilling our founding vision of the organisation, of being a perpetual Trust
fund for the support of arts and culture, is within our grasp.”
“As we consider our past successes, we also
need to gauge the impact of our strategies” says Jacobs. “Significant shifts in
the economic environment in the last few years have made it critical for us to
assess our actions and ensure that our contribution remains not only relevant,
but has the maximum impact possible!
For more detailed information and to apply,
see ACT’s website, www.act.org.za
The current funding cycle closes on March 31,
2014, with results announced in May.
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