Open call: National Arts Council of South Africa PESP 7 for unsuccessful applicants

The appeals process opened on 7 September 2026 and allows applicants to challenge decisions made in relation to their PESP 7 applications.

The NAC said appeals will be assessed against the approved programme criteria, available budget, programme guidelines and its mandate. Submitting an appeal does not guarantee funding.

How to appeal

Applicants intending to appeal must submit a written notice of appeal:

• Deadline: 7 October 2026 at 4.30.pm.
• Email: [email protected]
• Applicants who previously submitted appeals to DSAC are required to redirect them to the NAC using the above email address.

The notice must include:

• The appellant’s full name and address.
• PESP 7 application number.
• A clear description of the grievance.
• The reasons for the grievance.

Appeals based on existing applications

The NAC said appeals will generally be considered on the basis of the information and documents available to the original decision-maker or Advisory Panel.

Applicants cannot use the appeals process to introduce new issues or submit documents that could reasonably have been provided during the original application process.

The appeal will generally consider:

• The original application and supporting documents.
• Information considered during the original assessment.
• Reasons for the original decision.
• Applicable NAC policies and criteria.
• The grounds of the appeal.

The NAC said it will not consider matters outside the existing record and will not base its decision on an issue that was not raised in the original application.

The Appeal Panel may confirm, vary or overturn the original decision.

Appeal Panel

Appeals will be considered by an Appeal Panel appointed by the NAC Board. The panel will normally consist of at least three members with expertise in areas including:

• Relevant artistic or cultural fields.
• Grant-making and assessment processes.
• Administrative decision-making.
• Regulatory and governance requirements.

Anyone involved in the original decision or assessment will be excluded from considering the appeal. This also applies to individuals with a personal, professional, financial or other conflict of interest.

Panel members must disclose actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest before considering an appeal and recuse themselves where their impartiality could reasonably be questioned.

The NAC said panel members will act independently and will not receive directions on the merits of an appeal from original decision-makers, assessment staff, applicants, government officials or other parties seeking to influence the outcome.

Appeals timeline and decisions

The NAC will acknowledge receipt of an appeal within five business days.

A complete appeal will generally be determined within 60 business days after the appeals closing date. The NAC may extend this period in unusually complex cases. Where a decision is delayed, the appellant will be informed in writing of the reason and given a revised expected determination date.

Applicants will receive a written decision setting out the reasons for the outcome.

The decision will identify the grounds of appeal, material facts and documents considered, relevant policies or legal requirements, the panel's findings, the reasons for accepting or rejecting the main arguments, and the outcome.

Further remedies

Applicants whose appeals are unsuccessful may request reconsideration where permitted by NAC policy or applicable law.

Grounds for reconsideration may include:

• A material error of law or policy.
• A significant factual or administrative error.
• A serious procedural irregularity.
• A conflict of interest or another matter affecting the fairness of the appeal.

A reconsideration request must generally be submitted in writing within 20 business days of receiving the appeal decision and must identify the specific error or exceptional circumstance relied upon.

The NAC said reconsideration is not intended to provide an opportunity to re-argue an original application simply because an applicant disagrees with an artistic, funding or policy decision.

Where no further internal remedy is available, applicants may pursue remedies provided for under applicable law, which could include a complaint concerning administrative conduct, referral to the Public Protector or judicial review by a court with jurisdiction.

View the original call here.

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