Call for applications: COVID-19 creative sector relief in Botswana

The funding will provide relief allowances for arts and culture practitioners and a wage subsidy for arts and culture practitioners in organisations, groups, agencies and trusts.

The wage subsidy is set at 2 500 Botswana pula (about $200 for full-time employees of organisations. Relief allowance will benefit artists and arts organisations, which are registered with the Copyright Society of Botswana (COSBOTS). Those registered for the 2020 President’s Day Competitions (PDC) will receive a 1 000 pula once-off relief allowance.

The PDC is an annual programme administered by the culture ministry together with different arts associations. The event seeks to support performing arts (theatre, poetry, comedy, traditional dances and contemporary music) and visual arts (fashion, pottery, painting, graphic design, photography and sculpture).

Interested applicants can apply here. The submission deadline is 4 June.

Criteria

• Artists or organisations whose primary occupation is the arts can apply for funding. This includes visual and performing arts categories (music, traditional song and dance, drama, curation, fashion, exhibitions, promoters, managers, literary works/heritage and theatre). Registered arts organisations such as associations, agencies and trusts, which follow the appropriate legislation, are eligible to apply.
• Applicants must be Botswana citizens who are 18 years and above.
• Applicants should effectively demonstrate a direct impact from the COVID-19, for example loss of income wages, ticket sales, cancellations or loss of client base.
• Applicants must have registered for the 2020 PDC or be a registered active member of COSBOTS.
• Applicants should not have benefited from the government COVID-19 wage subsidy scheme.
• Full-time employees of registered arts organisations such as associations, agencies and trusts, which are following the appropriate legislation, should apply.

Relief fund applications

• Application forms can be obtained from all Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development offices countrywide.
• Groups, bands and artists can apply for their members and backup artists.
• Registered organisations will apply for their full-time employees.
• Applications will be submitted online or hand delivered to the ministry’s district offices.
• Applications received after this date will not be considered.

For more information, call +267800 600 883 or WhatsApp the culture ministry on +267 76 861 090.

View the original call here.