Open call: BASA supporting grants in SA

The call follows the first and second circle which were published by BASA this year. To date, the Supporting Grants Programme has provided support to over 1 765 beneficiaries, injecting more than R46 million (about $2.4m) into the creative sector. Additionally, it has successfully leveraged in excess of R590 million in sponsorship from the business sector.

BASA is committed to fostering partnerships between the business and arts sectors and serves as a leading advocate for such collaborations in South Africa. BASA’s primary mission is to promote and cultivate mutually beneficial partnerships that contribute to the growth of the creative sector in the country. The organisation acts as a catalyst for purposeful collaborations, emphasising the importance of arts sustainability and relevance in society. BASA achieves this through innovative programmes, knowledge sharing and skills development within the cultural and creative sectors.

“At the heart of BASA’s mission, Supporting Grants play a pivotal role in fostering mutually beneficial partnerships,” BASA supporting grants officer Sipho Mthiyane said. “These grants are open to all registered creative organisations and practitioners, irrespective of their size or level of experience. Financial support is provided for projects that can showcase compelling mutually advantageous collaborations with businesses.”

Interested applicants are invited to initiate the application process by submitting a one-page formal letter of interest. This letter should include the following:

• Project’s name.
• A concise project description.
• The business sponsor’s name.
• Details of the sponsorship being offered (cash, in-kind, or both, with specific monetary values).
• Furthermore, the letter of interest must be accompanied by an endorsement letter from the business sponsor.

Eligible candidates will then receive an invitation to complete a comprehensive online application. The upcoming deadline for letters of interest is 23 October.

Applicants are encouraged to note that not all submissions automatically receive approval. BASA evaluates applications based on various criteria, including project scale and impact, artistic merit, feasibility, contribution to social cohesion, and the project’s reach, all within the context of available funding. Preference is given to projects that offer tangible benefits to their business sponsor(s). As BASA operates as a membership organisation, additional preference is granted to projects involving both arts organisations and business sponsor(s) who are BASA members.

Click here for detailed criteria and further guidelines. Inquiries may be directed to Sipho Mthiyane at [email protected].

View the original call here.