Call for applications: Concerts SA mobility fund

Music professionals can apply for the National Mobility Fund (for tours in South Africa) and the Regional Mobility Fund (for tours taking place in Southern African Development Community [SADC] countries, except South Africa).

Application process

Applicants must complete the online application form in English and submit before 16 September 2018.

Applicants need to includ the following mandatory documents:

• ID/passport copy for individuals and organisation representatives
• Company registration documents.
• Track record (biography, EPK, CV, press coverage, weblinks, evidence of recognition awards, public appearances, etc.)
• Budget of the project (including projected income and expenditure).
• Calendar of activities with tour schedule.
• SADC regional projects must include a letter or email from the local host confirming their support and involvement.
• Proof of interest and involvement in the project from hosts, partners and stakeholders, such as letters, emails, etc.

The programme is open to individuals and organisations:

• That can demonstrate a track record in the music sector.
• Whose work will benefit from launching better networks – either musically/creatively or in terms of developing an audience for their work.
• That feature the creation of new opportunities for artists and arts professionals either in South Africa or host countries.
• That have not received support through the Mobility Fund in the three previous funding rounds (February 2017, June 2017 and January 2018).

Grants are available to:

• Individuals: musicians, managers, promoters, producers, agents, groups (one member will need to take the lead and have the main responsibility for managing the grant process). All people participating in the project must be over 18 years old and hold a valid passport (only applicable for regional touring).
• Organisations: music organisations and businesses (both for-profit and non-profit), record labels, agencies, forums, associations, partnerships, local, regional and national organisations, and groups of organisations (one will need to take the lead and have the main responsibility for managing the grant process).

In order to be eligible for a grant, you must:

• Be established in South Africa.
• Be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the project (not an intermediary).

Projects

The types of projects that may be financed are:

• Tours and concerts: performances, country and regional tours, participation at festivals and showcases etc. (where you are able to demonstrate that such performances will develop your professional or creative practice).
• Collaborations: artistic collaborations between musicians that lead to live music performances.
• Performance-based workshops.

The requirements for the National Mobility Fund are:

• Mobility: while artists from all provinces are invited to apply for national projects taking place in any South African province(s), the bulk of the activities must take place outside the province where the artist is based.
• No double-dipping: the project activities will not be eligible for additional Concerts SA funding through its partner network of venues and promoters.

The requirements for the Regional Mobility Fund are:

• Regional partners: the applicant will need to conduct his/her own research and have identified and communicated with a potential partner or host based in the country he/she wishes to work with. The partner may be an individual or organisation and must be an established musician or music professional.
• SADC countries: the project must take place in one or more of the following countries: Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. While activities in South Africa may be included as part of regional projects, the bulk of the activities must take place outside of South Africa.

Grant amount and costs

Applicants may request:

• Up to R30 000 for national projects.
• Up to R45 000 for SADC regional projects.

"This amount must not exceed 80% of the total costs of the project," Concerts SA said. "The financial grant covers up to 80% of eligible costs for travel, transport, accommodation, per diems, technical costs, visas and administrative costs. In exceptional cases, the grant may cover the entire eligible costs of the project if this is deemed essential to carry it out, and does not exceed the maximum funding that may be requested.

“If that is the case, the applicant must justify the request for full financing in the grant application form. Projects requesting amounts higher than the limits stated above will not be considered. Applicants are encouraged to seek additional, external support, funding and sponsorship for their project."

The duration of the project may not be less than four days, nor exceed three months. Projects may start by the end of October 2018 onwards and must be completed by the end of May 2019. Touring projects may be split in several legs, if required. All participants must be over 18 years old.

Non-eligible types of project include: academic research projects, scholarships and fellowships for studies or training courses, fund-raising events such as charity galas, projects supporting political parties or religious faith, recording of albums, and music-education projects.

The items that the fund will cover are:

• Travel and transportation, accommodation, daily needs (per diems), hiring of backline and other music and sound equipment, artwork design and printing, travel insurance, visas, tour coordination fee (up to a 5% of the rest of the costs covered by the grant).

The items that the fund will not cover are:

• Musicians' and artists' fees, hiring of venues and other spaces, buying assets, such as equipment, computers, software and instruments, general running costs and overheads, costs that are already covered by other funding.

About Concerts SA

Concerts SA is a joint South African-Norwegian initiative housed under the auspices of the Stakeholder Hub within the SAMRO Foundation. It receives financial, administrative and technical support from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the SAMRO Foundation and Kulturtanken.

For more information about this call, visit the Concerts SA official website.