“Nedbank is committed to enable talented South African artists to make things happen and achieve their goals. This is only possible through the continued support from our Nedbank Arts Affinity clients. We hope that the projects receiving financial grants can go from strength to strength and continue to play an important leadership role within their communities. We are looking forward to assist even more projects during 2013,” says Maseda Ratshikuni, head: Cause Marketing.

The ACT Development Programme has been funded by Nedbank Arts Affinity since 1994. The main objective is to provide ongoing support to the development of arts and culture in South Africa. Projects apply for grants through an application process which is reviewed every four months. The programme is aimed at developing projects that are aimed at either, the youth or professionals as well as the creation of new South African work. The Programme makes provision for all expressions of art, including but not limited to: Craft, Dance, Music, Theatre, Literature, Visual Art and New Media.

“We are grateful to Nedbank Arts Affinity clients who choose these unique products offered by Nedbank. By doing so, they support the ongoing development of South African arts, culture and heritage. Every time clients use their Arts Affinity products, Nedbank makes a donation to the Arts & Culture Trust, at no cost to the client, and with their support we were able to award grants to hundreds of projects and artists since the Trust’s establishment in 1994,” explains CEO of ACT, Pieter Jacobs.

The ACT Board of Trustees selects projects to fund during three cycles in a year. During the recent funding cycle, eight projects ranging from Visual Arts, Music, Dance to Arts Education, were approved to receive ACT Development grants.

Projects in urban centres that have been selected for support include the Johannesburg Youth Orchestra, the South African Mzanzi Ballet Outreach Programme, a new South African play “Garden Boy” which will be produced by a KwaZulu-Natal based production company, Kasie Amazing Young Artist, National School of the Arts and the South African Education and Environment Project. Regional projects include the Nelson Mandela Museum Incubator Programme, the Musikane Community Project from the North West University, and “Coming Clean”, an exhibition by Cassandra Wilmot from the Eastern Cape at the beginning of 2013.

The next Development Programme funding cycle closes at the end of January 2013. The outcome of applications submitted during this cycle will be available by Friday, 15 March 2013.

The Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) is South Africa’s premier independent arts, culture and heritage funding agency. For more information please visit the ACT website at www.act.org.za.