Call for applications: Arts and Culture Trust programme

This invitation is intended for artists and arts organisations in all nine South African provinces. The deadline for applications is 8 February. 

“The main aims of the Building Blocks masterclasses are to equip organisations with cognitive and practical skills which will ensure sustainability,” ACT said. “Four ACT Building Blocks masterclass modules are designed to achieve these aims. The modules are in leadership, marketing, governance and monitoring & evaluation."

Preference will be given to artists and arts institutions in the following provinces: Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. Only organisations that have been in existence for less than one year and not more than five years will be considered.

ACT Building Blocks is a programme designed and administered by ACT and funded by the National Arts Council to oversee skills transfer in the arts, culture and heritage sector. The programme comprises a two-day masterclasses segment followed by a sustained mentorship segment.

“The Building Blocks mentorship segment sees organisations guided by arts entrepreneur David April over a period of five months," the ACT said. "The mentorships’ aims are to ensure that the theoretical knowledge gained during masterclasses are applied effectively, that leadership and governance is strengthened and long-term sustainability becomes an achievable goal for all participating organisations.”

ACT CEO Marcus Desando said: “I believe that our sector’s need is not just monetary injection but skilled leadership as well. The ACT Building Blocks Programme seeks to address the need for skills in the sector which help to strengthen its infrastructure at a basic level of operation.

“The points that were covered were relevant to my work and situations, problems or solutions I had encountered. There was a nice flow between given information and discussions.”

Interested persons should send applications via the ACT Building Blocks application platform.