Thirteen business and arts partnerships awarded BASA Supporting Grants

Each of the 13 projects receiving grants in this current cycle made the application for funding in conjunction with a business. 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.

It's not the only multi-disciplinary project that made a successful application with more than one business sponsor.

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 ArchitectureZA 2012 Biennale 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. Another was the Master Classes Workshop, hosted by Atelier Bow Wow for AZA 2012 + and sponsored by the Concrete and Cement Institute.

Innovative music projects also made their presence felt in this round of BASA Supporting Grants - among them the Kwa-Zulu 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.

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, extending the run of a project that carries the sponsoring business's name - and many other options.

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. The next closing date is 07 September 2012.

Once recipients have been identified, the projects and sponsors can be further profiled through Business and Arts South Africa's media partners - SAfm, Summit TV, Radio Today, Ilanga newspaper, and OFM. In addition, successful partnerships are also encouraged to enter the Business Day BASA Awards, supported by Anglo American.

For more information on BASA's Supporting Grants visit www.basa.co.za or contact Carol Mokwena on grants@basa.co.za or 011-447 - 2295.

About Business and Arts South Africa NPC:

Business and Arts South Africa NPC is an internationally recognised South African development agency which incorporates the arts into, and contributes to, corporates' commercial success. With a suite of integrated programmes, Business and Arts South Africa NPC encourages mutually beneficial partnerships between business and the arts. Business and Arts South Africa NPC was founded in 1997 as a joint initiative of government and the business sector, to secure the future development of the arts industry in South Africa, through increased corporate sector involvement. Established as a Non Profit Company, Business and Arts South Africa NPC is accountable to both government and its business members.