Recognising the devastating impact that COVID-19 related regulations and
the national lockdown have had on the arts, culture and sports sector due to
cancellations or postponement of events, the Western Cape Government has
announced measures to provide provincial relief for the
cultural, creative and sports sectors. There are two components
to these interventions measures: Firstly, those aimed at the Arts, Culture and
Heritage and secondly, those aimed at the Sports Sector.
(This information is as reflected on the Western Cape Government’s
website.)
PROVINCIAL RELIEF FOR THE CULTURAL,
CREATIVE AND SPORT SECTORS
The Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS) has
developed relief options for the cultural, creative and sports industries.
The options focus on the Business Continuity and Recovery phases of the
fight against COVID-19. It also focuses on two of the three pillars of the
national response: Social Relief and Economic Recovery.
Due to the complex and evolving COVID-19 environment, the options target
areas of relief which can be achieved quickly while focusing on categories
where support is most needed and most helpful.
1. DCAS
COVID-19 RELIEF FUNDING GUIDELINES/CRITERIA FOR ARTS, CULTURE AND HERITAGE
Event
Cancellation Support
Who
can Apply?
a. DCAS
funded events/project cancellations. The funds in
this form of relief can be used for the following:
· Towards cancellation fees to artists
· Towards committed funds in relation to production elements of the event
– inclusive of artists upfront fees, costume development etc.
b. Arts
Venue* and Production Cancellations: This also
includes (1) Arts Venues and Productions not funded by DCAS and (2) cancelled
Western Cape productions scheduled to be presented outside the Western Cape and
internationally. The funds in this form of relief can be used for the
following:
· Towards cancellation fees to artists
· Towards compensation to cover upfront fees to artists
· *Examples of arts venues includes theatres, dance venues, live music
venues, community art centres, art galleries etc.
c. Artists/Creatives. The funds in this form of relief are targeted at freelance workers
and independent contractors for fees for creatives whose events have been
cancelled and who have not been paid cancellation fees or have lost income
because of the cancellation as a result of the national state of disaster. This
is inclusive of session musicians, buskers, visual artists, stage managers and
other creatives along the value chain.
d. Community
Arts Education and Training Organisations. The funds in
this form of relief could go towards direct costs related to the development
and delivery of course/training content.
e. Humanitarian
Relief – Legends Grant: Data from China, where the
outbreak began in Wuhan in December, shows that elderly people aged 60 years
and above are the most vulnerable to COVID-19. This means that we need to make
a special effort to support artists in this age category given that they are
disproportionally and negatively impacted by the virus and therefore cannot
take risks even after restrictions have been lifted. This also means that they
will be the last off the starting blocks and will be kept out of work
significantly longer than younger artists after the mandatory lockdown period.
Overarching
Criteria
·
Applicants must be practising
artists, 18 years of age and older.
· Relief Funding is for
creatives who do not have a regular salary source and whose sole income source
is their creative work.
· Relief funding is currently
for organisations and individuals based within the boundaries of the Western
Cape.
·
It is specifically for those
impacted on for the period March-end June 2020.
· One application form must be
completed per project/event vi. All relevant documentation requested must be
submitted together with the application (see checklist)
·
All applicants will need to be
compliant in terms of the legislative requirements.
·
Further information is
available on the Departmental website westerncape.gov.za/cas
Criteria per
Category for Application
·
DCAS Funded events/project
cancellations
Where an MOA exists and tranche payments have been made or are yet to be
made, the following criteria will apply:
1. Submit documentation that does not deviate from the existing MOA
requirements (narrative report, invoices, valid compliance documents etc.).
2. Supporting documents: e.g.
cancellation letters/notices, proof of payments made to
artists/participants/service providers etc. involved and proof of contracts and
payment due.
3.
If funds were not spent by the
time of cancellation, the organisation may apply to repurpose the funds within
the project as per the signed MOA.
4. For approved projects without
a signed MOA but with a grant letter, all valid compliance documents and action
plan (April – June) should be submitted. e. Projects/events that were affected
during March (after the State of Disaster Announcement), will also be
considered.
·
Arts Venue* and Production
Cancellations (incl. non-DCAS funded venues/ productions):
In order for
relief assistance to be considered for cancelled productions/projects,
submissions will be evaluated on the following criteria:
1.
Projects/Productions/Arts
Training taking place in the Western Cape and using artists based in the
Western Cape
2.
Western Cape Productions being
presented outside of the Western Cape and using artists based in the Western
Cape
3. Relief will be considered for
the period March to end June 2020 and for production/training programmes
specifically cancelled to meet requirements of the national state of disaster;
4.
Proof that the
production/training was scheduled during the period of the national state of
disaster. e.g. Proof of cancellation.
5.
Artist line-up and contracts
or agreements including performance fees.
6.
An Income Statement showing
direct costs related to the cancelled activity.
·
Artists/Creatives: Freelance workers
and independent contractors
1. Proof of loss of income –
should demonstrate that the creative worker was contracted with a signed
contract; formal letter indicating a standing arrangement with other party and
that the other party will not provide for compensation.
2.
Compliance for organisations:
CIPC documents, valid Tax Clearance
3.
Compliance for individuals:
Copy of ID, Tax number and tax clearance certificate (if applicable).
4. Buskers need to have a valid
permit from the relevant local authority or a letter of support from the
municipality or letter of support from the establishment where work was to be
undertaken.
5. Any other information outlined
in the application form. Relief will only apply to the projects/events/productions
that have been cancelled.
·
Humanitarian Relief – Legends Grant
1. Copy of ID
2. Must be resident in Western Cape Province.
3. Must be 60 years or older.
4. Proof of contractual work impacted between March – end June 2020.
5. Concepts of any new works being produced – if any.
6. Evidence of training material being developed in a specific discipline –
if any.
7. Evidence of collaborative work – if any.
These DCAS COVID-19 Relief Funding Guidelines and Criteria for Arts,
Culture and Heritage are available here: Guidelines and Criteria
Please ensure that you have read the guidelines thoroughly to ensure you
know what documents to submit with your application.
The application form can be found here Application Form
Applications should be mailed to DCAS.ReliefFunding@westerncape.gov.za
The
closing date for applications is Tuesday 19 May 2020 at 16h00.
2. SPORT
AND RECREATION SUPPORT
The DCAS Sport and Recreation Directorate has also made provision for
a provincial relief fund.
An important aspect of providing financial assistance is ensuring that
there are objective criteria in place to evaluate and confirm the following:
·
Confirmation of the financial
impact per sports federation, structure, recreation entity
·
Validation of any loss that is
being claimed
·
Use of previous events to
quantify the loss of income
· Proof that sports federations
and recreation entities were earning an income and are now out-of-pocket
· All sports federations are to
be in good standing with the Western Cape Provincial Sport Confederation
·
Evidence that athletes who
were confirmed to participate at events that have now been cancelled or
postponed due to COVID-19, and whose income is generated solely by
participation in that event. These events may include major road races and
events where the athlete may be eligible for an appearance fee
·
Coaches and technical support
personnel who work with athletes whose sporting events have been cancelled or
postponed due to COVID-19, and make their earnings solely from these events.
Evidence of earnings must be provided
· Athletes on the Department’s
High-Performance Programme and/or who are preparing for the 2021 Olympics and
Paralympics and are hopefuls for team South Africa selection for those and
other major international championships and events. These athletes must not be
on SASCOC’s OPEX Programme as specific criteria will be set here.
Application
Process:
The criteria for accessing this support, the identification of
beneficiaries and the mechanism through which the relief fund will be managed
and finalised in consultation with the Western Cape Provincial Sport
Confederation. Stringent criteria and audit/checking processes will be put in
place taking the above factors into consideration. A committee comprising
officials from the Department, Western Cape Provincial Sport Confederation and
independent entities will be put into place to manage the applications and the
allocation of funding from the Western Cape Provincial Relief Fund.
Sport and Recreation Relief funding application forms can be obtained
here: Application Form: Application Form or at www.westerncape.gov.za/cas
Applications relating to sports federations must
be sent to Crystal.Pather@westerncape.gov.za
Applications relating to recreation must
be sent to Philasande.Macwili@westerncape.gov.za
The closing
date for applications is Tuesday, 19 May 2020 at 16:00.
Additional documents: For the Bank Details form,
please click here, and compliance statement.
For Frequently Asked Questions regarding
the relief funding, please click here.
3. OTHER
INTERVENTION AND SUPPORT MEASURES – COVID-19 RELATED INTERNAL DCAS PROGRAMMES
AND INTERVENTIONS
(This
information is as reflected in a speech published by the Western Cape
Government’s Cultural Affairs and Sports Department).
The Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport has continued to be active
during the national state of disaster with staff working from home. In addition
to the relief effort focusing on the cancellations in the sector are
interventions to support business continuity as well as stimulate the sector in
the recovery phase.
a. Annual
Arts Funding Initiative
The annual call for arts funding closed on 6th December 2019. At the
time of the lockdown, the department was about to commence the adjudication
process. The department is mindful of the pressures that organisations are
under during this time and to this end has continued to work on the
adjudication process under the limiting lockdown conditions. The adjudications
were concluded over the last two weeks. DCAS will announce the outcome of the
adjudication process as soon as the outcomes are approved and thereafter funds
will be transferred to successful organisations.
b.
Commission of new digital works and
content
This is a targeted
programme focused on artists who have come through DCAS programmes over the
last three years in Music, Dance, Drama, Literature and Fine Arts. Content must
be COVID-19 related including spreading messaging on combating the spread of
COVID-19. Types of projects to be supported:
· Live streaming
content/performances, podcasts, animation, documentaries, Online Viewing Rooms
or Exhibitions.
· Arts Training
materials/tutorial on DCAS platforms
· Development of scripts for
Theatre performances
· Literature and poetry
· Scheduled for April to June
2020.
c. Radio
promotion
Radio Promotion of
SA Artists* who have lost work as well as those who have upcoming shows which
will benefit from promotion given that it will take time for people to come out
in their number post-COVID-19. By profiling and keeping arts relevant when
the pandemic ends, the arts stand a chance to be heard translating into
sales and revenue generation.
This intervention
should also seek to promote the playing of more South African music in general.
*Inclusive of
actors, poets, dancers, visual artists, musicians, scriptwriters, songwriters
etc.
d. Support
for museums
Cultural
institutions, both large and small, are losing significant amounts in revenue
with each passing day. Museums in the Western Cape have risen to the challenge
and entered the virtual space of publicly accessible, timed, online exhibitions
which is new territory for many of them. Examples of these are the ‘Ceres’ly
Positive’ online initiative by the Togryers Museum in Ceres as well as an
online exhibition on YouTube, and a similar one from the Huguenot Memorial
Museum to name a few. While these exhibitions ensure that the public
still has access to the museum during the lockdown and position the Museum well
for visitors during the recovery phase, it does not take care of the lost
opportunities in revenue from people visiting museums (entrance fees) as a
result of the lockdown.
A direct call for
applications will be made to affiliated museums in the Western Cape museums as
well as through SAMA (South African Museums Association) and ICOM South Africa
(International Council of Museums) with clear guidelines.
Criteria:
1. Museums must provide proof of
average monthly income derived from visitor entrance fees through the latest
audited annual financial statements.
2.
The museum must have existed
for the past 12 months prior to the start of the national lockdown.
3. Museums must be affiliated to
the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport in terms of the Museums Ordinance
No. 8 of 1975 or subscribe to the ICOM code of conduct.
a. Increasing
expenditure on the local content of library materials
With the
coronavirus steadily spreading around the globe, the first sign of things to
come was the postponement of international and national book festivals and with
some of those usually in September unsure if they will continue this year.
While South African Publications Network (SAPnet) reported an 8,6%
decline in sales in week 12 of 2020, some bricks-and-mortar booksellers saw a
more significant drop in the first two weeks of March. Bargain Books reported a
double-digit decline in sales over this period, with shoppers steering clear
from malls (SA Booksellers Association). This will have a huge impact on the
writers and the entire literature value chain that rely on these sales for an
income. In order to further our support to South African literature, we
will increase the DCAS spend on South African content from 60% of the book
budget to 65% in the current financial year.
b. Gig
support in the recovery phase
This is a stimulus
effort is to reignite the gig economy during the Recovery Phase and feeds
into the third pillar of the national response, Economic Recovery. Because many
working artists simultaneously work in the ‘gig economy,’ during this time these
individuals are struggling to make ends meet and support their families. The
effort is, therefore, artists focused. Support will go towards venue related
costs for select venues for artists e.g. sound and venue booking. In instances
where venues have infrastructure, a contribution will go towards artists fees.
This will be implemented through an implementing agent. Through a partnership
with municipalities where possible, strategically located venues will be
targeted to ensure that as many areas in the Western Cape as possible are
covered.
Criteria:
1.
This relief option will
prioritise artists that have had their gigs cancelled during the period of the
national state of disaster with no Cancellation fees.
2.
Artists will be required to
submit a proposal (maximum 5 pages) outlining the concept of the gig, the arts
discipline/s involved, target audience, venue options with a preferred venue
highlighted.
a. Other
COVID-19 Relief Options in the sector:
To support
creatives and creative organisations in the visual art sector and the creative
and cultural space outside of government below is a set of resources which may be of assistance (source – https://vansa.co.za/art-info/artright/coronavirus-covid-19-resources/
·
Artist Relief Project: Initiative run by Artly World Nonprofit offering short term
relief and long-term assistance for artists, musicians and performers impacted
by event cancellations and venue closures
· Business and Arts South Africa Artist
Relief Grant: BASA will consider
applications from individual artists for once-off, short-term financial aid for
COVID-19-related medical care and/or prescription medicines. The aid can also
be used to offset the loss of income due to the cancellation of confirmed
engagements, because of the nationwide lockdown or other emergency measures.
· Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
Emergency COVID-19 Fund: Cultural and artistic
sector, emergency support to artists or artistic production entities that have
seen their projects cancelled or in areas to which the Foundation commonly
attributes support
· Field of Vision Documentary Freelancer
Relief Fund: International funding
opportunity for freelancers involved in documentary filmmaking
·
Format Photographer Fund: Photographers facing financial difficulties due to COVID-19.
·
Hear My Voice Poetry Relief Fund: Hear My Voice, is a non-profit poetry organization based in
Tshwane (South Africa). The fund is aimed at providing help to South African
freelance poets who have unwillingly forfeited income from cancelled events and
possible bookings due to COVID-19. The fund will go towards paying poets a
meagre honorarium for partaking in a series of live-streamed readings and
performances. It will further provide poets who want to host their own
live-streamed shows the resources to do so by providing access to a paid
version of Zoom which has no time restrictions and offers streaming
capabilities to Facebook and various other social platforms. All events will be
streamed on the Hear My Voice and the respective poet’s Facebook pages:
- v The fund will avail R1 000 per poet for their live-streamed performance
that is curated by Hear My Voice, alternatively, the poet can choose to do
their own live-streamed event using our platform and charge an access fee or
solicit donations.
· Patreon Artist Fund: The grant program is open to any creator, anywhere in the world,
who is being demonstrably impacted by the COVID-19 situation.
· Small Business Relief COVID-19 Fund: financial assistance for small to medium-sized business.
·
South African Banks Repayment Relief: Offering various interventions including loan and debt repayment
holidays for qualifying customers.
·
South African Filmmakers Relief Fund: The main aim of this non-profit organisation is to raise funds to
not only help struggling creatives to keep on creating content on a small
scale, like music videos and short films for free but primarily to help pay the
salaries of every single person working on a shoot. These smaller projects will
not only keep our artists alive but will continue to support other struggling
elements such as casting agents and gear rental companies. Lower budget
productions with smaller skeleton crews also pose significantly lower health
risks. To further ensure the safety of everyone involved, we will partner with
a medical team for every shoot to provide us with not only health and safety
guidelines but also frequent check-ups.
· South Africa Future Trust: Oppenheimer Foundation provides financial assistance to employees
of South African SMMEs who are at risk of losing their jobs or will suffer a
loss of income because of COVID-19 and payroll support to companies with a
turnover of less than R25 million.
· Sukuma Relief Programme: Rupert Foundation and Remgro fund for businesses affected by
Covid-19 (*Note: temporarily closed however still accepting grant proposals to
the value of R25 000 for qualifying sole proprietors)
· Tourism Relief Fund: adjacent industry to the arts – galleries and organisations can
apply as “Attractions”
· Youth Business Fund: A
relief fund initiative of the Youth Chamber of Commerce and Industry South
Africa to assist young people in business who are already affected by Covid-19.
The fund assists with labour costs, operational costs etc.
· The Vulnerable Artist Fund: The fund is specifically for artists facing situations where they
are unable to support themselves and their families during this period in South
Africa.
· SAFE Relief Application: South Africa fund for entertainers. SAFE is a Non-Profit
Organisation galvanising the entertainment industry by creating positive,
wide-reaching initiatives together and delivering heartfelt support to our most
severely affected people.
