Issued by: Ministry for Arts, Culture, Science and Technology Arts and Culture Editor
7 November 1995
The Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology today released its criteria for the funding of arts and culture projects in South Africa. The criteria has been redefined in accordance with the imperatives of the RDP. With this criteria, the Department strives to enhance the quality of life of all South Africans, irrespective of gender, race, disability or sexual orientation.
The Department's funding priority is to fund NATIONAL organisations/projects, i.e. to channel funds towards the effective establishment and sustenance of ill enable it to realise its mission.
Despite a restrictive budget, the Department succeeded in awarding 10 grants to a number of national culture organisations. These grants were made possible, in part, after the 15% cut to the budgets of the Performing Arts Councils in April. After careful consideration of the submissions that were received, to ensure that they met with the criteria, funds were redeployed to ensure that a more representative spectrum of arts and artists benefit from the funding available from the Department.
Some of the grants awarded include:
- The Congress of South African Writers, which has been involved in the development and promotion of literature since its founding in 1987. In April of this year COSAW started an initiative to form a United SA Writers Organisation.
- Several good film schools have for several years existed in Pretoria and Cape Town. Owing to its accessibility and the audience it serves, the Department has this year decided to render financial support to the Newtown Film and Television School.
- The Department has also granted financial support to the African Cultural Heritage Trust, an organisation that has already gained a reputation for preserving traditional performing art expressions. They also organize the annual national Traditional Dance Knockouts Competitions.
- Fuba Academy, originally called the Federated Union of Black Arts came into being as a NGO in 1978 in response to the neglect of arts education for Africans. Despite 17 difficult years, it shows a proud record of students who fill their place in the arts.
- The Community Arts Project, CAP as it is better known, is a familiar landmark in Cape Town and also plays an important role in arts education.
Other successful applicants include:
The Arts and Culture Management Programme, presented by Wits Graduate School, Dorkay House Trust, the National Literacy Project, IKAPA Arts Trust, the South African Film Festival and the SA International Film Festival.
The Department is proud to be associated with these institutions, which all work towards training and empowering artists for the future and which in their determination to conquer against the odds, is indispensable in creating jobs.
The Department has indicated that unfortunately, the budget for the current year has been exhausted and no new applications can be considered at this stage. New applications will be considered from April 1996 and need to be submitted at least 3 months before the commencement of a project.
MEDIA ENQUIRIES: MS SANPAT VAN TONDER TEL: (012) 314-6129