Arts organisations qualify for BASA Supporting Grant

This is a key aspect of the BASA Supporting Grant scheme, which has as its aim the development of business sponsorship of the arts. This is achieved by using the supporting grant to add value to an already existing relationship between an arts project and a business.

One of the projects receiving a BASA Supporting Grant in this cycle is the Oude Libertas Amphitheatre Summer Season 2012/2013 which made the application with the Distell Foundation, Standard Bank and Dagbreek Trust.

Indigenous African culture

Another is the Mpumalanga Traditional Art Market which takes its inspiration from the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market model, but is a unique presentation of African indigenous culture and exhibitors. Held in Mpumalanga during the final week of heritage month, the Mpumalanga Traditional Art Market made its successful application for a supporting grant with the IDC, the Kruger-Mpumalanga International Airport, Glowing Tourism Nelspruit- Mpumalanga, and Africa Roots.

The Architecture ZA 2012 Biennial Festival is one of two architecture-themed projects successfully applying for a BASA Supporting Grant in this cycle. The application for the upcoming Cape Town-based event was done with sponsors Cement & Concrete Institute, Lafarge Cement, and PPC.

Innovative music projects also made their presence felt in this round of BASA Supporting Grants - among them the KwaZulu Natal-based Unyazi 2012 Electronic Music Festival, sponsored by SAMRO; the In Tune with Nature event taking place in Pietermaritzburg and sponsored by Mayford Seeds, RAS Catering and The Gardener Magazine, as well as the Pretoria-based Park Acoustics Concert Series which made the successful application with Jack Daniels.

Adding value to sponsor

The BASA Supporting Grants are open to any arts project or arts practitioner working with an appropriate business sponsor to ensure their project is financially viable - without the BASA Supporting Grant. Once this is in place, the BASA Supporting Grant can be applied for, with the specific intention of adding value to the business that has come on board in support of the arts in South Africa. This can be through the form of using the grant for marketing and publicity, developing an education programme to go along with the project, or extending the run of a project that carries the sponsoring business's name.

To apply for a BASA Supporting Grant, both the arts applicant and the sponsor must complete the application forms, which are designed to encourage the two partners to work together and identify areas of potential benefit, and are now available in English, isiZulu and seSotho. Business and Arts South Africa allocates funds to the project once it has assessed how the partnership benefits both the sponsor and the recipient. Applications must be made at least 12 weeks before the start of a project.