Call for applications: COVID-19 fund for African artists

The funding is designed only for African artists and interested applicants can apply here. The application deadline is 30 June.  

A second call will be published in June or July 2020 for the benefit of cultural organisations.

Eligibility

To be eligible, applicants must meet the following conditions:

• Be an artist with at least five years of experience, practicing and residing in Africa (proof required).
• Hold an artist card or equivalent document (provide a copy of the card or document).
• Provide a document showing your biography, your artistic career, your artistic approach and an overview of your artistic works (three pages maximum).
• Demonstrate a situation of vulnerability (or a shortfall) arising from the COVID-19 health crisis.
• Submit a project request for subsistence (food grant, health grant or professional grant) or for assistance to creation (artistic creation or innovation within the context of COVID -19).
• Provide a letter of recommendation from at least one recognised reference person in the discipline you practice (pointing out the need and urgency to support you).

Terms

• Applications submitted by any other channel will not be considered.
• Applications can be submitted in English or French.
• Incomplete files will not be considered. Applicants are invited to supply all the requested documents, as the ACF will not contact any applicants, should any be missing in their application file.
• The applicant will receive an automatic acknowledgment email once the application is received.
• The results will be published on the ACF website and social networks (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram).
• Only successful applicants will be contacted by the ACF.

Types of eligible projects

The ACF supports requests in the following two categories:

Category 1: Applications for subsistence grants

• These are requests made by any artist or creator in a situation of vulnerability to the COVID-19 crisis. These requests relate to food grants, health grants and professional grants.

 Category 2: Requests for assistance to creation

• These requests relate to artistic creation or innovation projects adapted to the context of COVID-19 in Africa.

Contract and disbursement modalities

A contract between the funders and the grantee will be signed. The contract will include details on the activities to be carried out, the grant amount, the payment schedule and reports.

Geographic coverage and funding

The present call covers all African countries. For any request made within the framework of this call, the amount to be granted by the ACF is $2 000 per artist. The funding covers a period between four months minimum and six months maximum.

The approved projects will be funded in two instalments:

• 50% of the grant, upon signing of the contract (pre-financing).
• 50% of the grant at mid-term, and upon presentation and approval of the narrative and interim financial reports.

"In this rather particular context where no continent or country, or even sector of activity is spared, the creative sector is proving to be one of the most severely impacted sectors by the effects of the pandemic,” the ACF said. “In many African countries, the majority of creation, production and distribution centres are closed and artists are idle, without prospects, many of them living between despair and dismay.

“In such context, it becomes urgent and a priority to offer assistance and support mechanisms for artists so that creativity and artistic productivity do not stop, but also allow them to effectively resist the pandemic and preserve the socio-economic structure of the already fragile African creative sector.”

View the original call here.