Department Of Arts And Culture Events

Cultural Events
Introduction
The Department of Arts and Culture (DAC) has embarked on a strategy to reposition the Arts, Culture and Heritage (ACH) Sector as a key player in government’s programme of action for social cohesion, creation of sustainable jobs, and ensuring social and economic development.

To this end, the DAC convened a consultative conference on 14 and 15 April 2011 for ACH Sector stakeholders to deliberate on various proposals to optimize the contribution of the sector to these priorities and specifically to the New Growth Path.

Before the Conference, there was a review of prior work, accompanied by consultations with key role players. The review and consultations were used to generate a high-level problem statement, develop a strategy and make specific proposals, including new large-scale interventions focusing on the creative and cultural industries.
Flagship/Signature Events

What Are They?
Flagship or Signature Events are former Arts Festivals which, for the past 11-12 years, were funded by the DAC on an ad-hoc basis. These Festivals gave artists a platform to showcase their talent/skills across various arts genres and disciplines and thus earn a living. With the introduction of the Mzansi Golden Economy (MGE) initiative, which has a clear mandate to reposition arts and culture as contributors to the economy, these Festivals have been streamlined so that they can achieve the objective of becoming avenues for job creation and social cohesion.

This new approach resulted in MinMEC identifying two flagship/signature events in each of the nine provinces for co-financing and partnership with the DAC. These Events will be upscaled to attract more and diverse audiences, thus resulting in multiple benefits for both artists and the hosting city.

The Events vary from province to province and target a diverse audience, both nationally and internationally. With a commitment from national, provincial and local government and the private sector, these Events have the potential to grow and create sustainable jobs for local and national artists and to contribute to related sectors like the hospitality, tourisms, food and beverage, and technical services sectors.

A common thread of the Events is that they promote both professional and grassroots artists.

The following Events have been identified and approved:
• Indoni Cultural Event
• Dance Music Event
• SAMA Awards
• National Arts Festival
• Mbokodo Awards
• Standard Bank Joy of Jazz
• Gauteng Carnival ‘pale ya ronaT’
• KZN Drakensberg Okhahlamba World Heritage Site & Midlands Bergfest
• Taung Cultural Arts Festival
• Mpumalanga Comes Alive Sixties Festival
• Macufe Arts Festival
• Buyele’ Khaya Pan African Music Festival
• Cape Town International Jazz Festival
• Mapungubwe Arts Festival
• Cape Town Carnival
• Cultural Mine Dance Festival
• Marula Festival
• Kalahari Desert Festival
• National Book Week (NBW)
Objectives of the Events
• Attract the broadest possible audience and new audience;
• Stimulate and promote the creative economy of the location;
• Showcase distinctive South African culture;
• Promote entrepreneurial activity in each location;
• Increase social cohesion of the locality;
• Increase capacity and knowledge of event planning, event management and even tourism;
• Strengthen and grow the ACH Sector;
• Create income for local artists and local entrepreneurs and in other sectors such as technical events services.
Selection criteria

The Events were identified and approved by MinMEC. They were selected based on upscaling of existing events and the principle of geographic spread (all provinces). In addition, these Events were selected based on provincial submissions and include those that do not currently enjoy consistently high patronage.
Evaluation criteria

Provinces submit a business plan for each of their Events. This must be accompanied by a three-year proposal with a detailed budget and detailed project plan. The proposals are analysed to check if they meet the above-mentioned objectives.
Event and Festival Grant Programme

What Is It?
This is a tool designed to strengthen and grow the ACH Sector. Firstly, through assisting local organisations in hosting arts and cultural events in communities and secondly, by providing more opportunities for arts organisations and artists to perform and showcase their work.

It will enable the Sector to stabilise and consolidate, and provide access to work and experience, capacity building and linkages to tourism. In the long term, it is meant to reduce dependency on financial assistance from government and insecurity in the Sector, and allow for improved and professional planning and accountability by the Sector.

Objectives of the Event and Festival Grant Programme
1. Create a coordinated programme for events and touring exhibitions that will allow the DAC to move away from ad-hoc funding to strategic funding based on clear programmes and a strategy for events/festivals and exhibitions.
2. Upsize and create an extravaganza at existing events and festivals. This will allow an increased diversity of cultural offerings, enhanced quality, and increase the number of offerings or extend the duration of events can be longer, ensuring that parts of the events can tour from province to province with obvious economic and social benefit for the location.
3. Increase the audience and exposure that each production receives which will in turn increase the number of jobs/livelihoods/income and work these events/exhibitions create; to enhance the social cohesion of the country and in particular of the location in question and finally to increase the upskilling opportunities of our arts and culture communities and the tourism sector.
What is the purpose of the Call for Proposals?
To create an enabling environment that supports diverse arts events and festivals that are geographically spread and nationally coordinated throughout a calendar year.

Who may apply?
The Call will be open to all South African arts, culture and heritage organisations, individuals, events managers, festival organisers, arts directors, exhibition directors, amateur and professional organisations that have a legal status (must be registered as a legal entity).

When is the Call made?
The Call will be made annually, in October, and is subject to the availability of funds.
Project Leader: Ms Susan Selepe: [email protected] or 012-441-3471