As an intervention to aid the plight of practitioners affected by this pandemic that is taking lives and livelihoods, compromising the dignity of practitioners and preventing them from fully living out their passion within the arts, Minister Nathi Mthethwa has launched the 3rd phase of the COVID-19 Relief Funding.

Closing date is 22 February 2021

STATUS OF 1^st AND 2^nd PHASE RELIEF FUNDS

To date, the Department has implemented the first and second phases of the COVID-19 Relief Fund. Nearly 5, 000 practitioners were recommended for the first phase and over R80 Million was paid out to the sector. In the second phase and as of the 14^th of December 2020, over R2 Million was paid out to practitioners in the sector. 3,658 practitioners benefitted from the Solidarity Fund with a total of nearly R3 Million that was paid out. Through DSAC’s partnership with the Department of Small Business Development (DBSA), over R5 Million was paid out to practitioners within the sector, with a further estimated R 13 Million to be disbursed by the end of March 2021.

In spite of our best efforts, the Department is fully cognisant of the fact that there are many others who did not benefit from these programmes, given the Department’s finite budget. With that said, we have and will continue to engage national organisations in line with our open door policy.

The Department, alongside the appointed service provider, is also developing the rollout of an implementation plan to provide an Artist Wellness Programme to the sector to deal with the emotional and psychological impact of their challenges and will also provide other enhancement interventions such as personal or business financial management, legal support and lifestyle management.

GUIDE FOR THE 3^RD PHASE OF RELIEF FUNDING

Here are the Basic guidelines:

• Applicants should send only ONE application; and not multiple applications.
• Provide honest and accurate information and note that misrepresentation of information may lead to your application not being considered.
• It is compulsory to complete all relevant sections of the application form.
• Ensure that all the required supporting documents are included in your application. If you do not provide all the information required by DSAC, your application will not be successful.
• State where information is not applicable to your application, by writing “N/A” in the appropriate section on the application form.
• In addition to the application and supporting documents, the DSAC may require further information from you. You will be contacted if further information is required.
• If your application is received on or before the closing date, an acknowledgement will be sent.
• Late applications will NOT be considered.
• You will be sent notification to inform you of the outcome of the DSAC decision if your application is successful.
• Amount of funding will be dependent on total available budget; and content of your application, that latter part is applicable to organisations who will be submitting proposals.
• Provide a certified copy of a South African identity document/ Smart Card, which should not be older than three months. 
• Provide bank account details to enable the department to process your payment, if you are successful
• Provide proof of tax registration If not registered for tax, follow this link to register visit https://www.sars.gov.za/ClientSegments/Individuals/TCS/Pages/How-to-request-your-TCS.aspx. SARS has indicated that the turnaround time for those who will be applying for registration or seeking proof of registration will be 24hrs.
• Provide confirmation that applicant is a Sport, Arts, Culture and Heritage practitioner/ organisation. You can provide any of the following; Portfolio/Profile/Biography of the applicant specifying relevant experience in the arts; OR  Brief description of what your job entailed in your last employment/contract;  OR Letter of reference from reputable  arts organisations/ Unions/ Record Company/ Fellow Artists/ Management/ Agent /or community leaders.

B: WHO IS EXCLUDED FROM APPLYING FOR THE THIRD PHASE OF RELIEF FUNDING

Creatives, event organisers, athletes, coaches, technical personnel and other practitioners who do not solely rely on the income earned from participating in creative, cultural and/or sport events are excluded from applying for the 3^rd phase of relief funding.

Group applications (choirs, bands, etc.), these practitioners are encouraged to apply individually.

C: CRITERIA, TERMS & CONDITIONS  

This third phase of funding is aimed at providing relief to sectors within the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture; amidst the resurgence of the  2^nd Wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country; and the implementation of stringent health and safety protocols and compliances. This funding covers individuals and organisations in the sport and creative industries, according to the different categories that make up this funding.

CRITERIA: INDIVIDUAL APPLICATIONS

Applicable to arts, culture, heritage and sport across the ecosystem, including all aspects thereof; except those covered under exclusions in section B (above).

• Applicants who applied to National DSAC Relief fund, relief fund by DSAC Entities and Provincial DSAC Departments and were granted funding, are also allowed to apply during this funding phase. 
• Applicants must be South African, 18 years of age and older, practicing in their sport or creative industries for the last 12 months.
• The Department may, based on the number of successful applications, determine amounts that may be disbursed in each category.
• Each successful applicant who complies fully with all requirements may receive an amount of not less than R10 000.00 (ten thousand rand) once off, subject to availability of funds and as per the paragraph above.
• The applicants consent that the Department may use his and/or her name as reference in its awareness and promotional campaigns for the purpose of COVID-19 only.

CRITERIA: APPLICATIONS FROM ORGANISATIONS

Eligibility

• Applications from registered sport, recreation, arts and culture organisations such as arts centres, arts training institutions, heritage organisations, arts and culture associations, independent theatres and independent museums and galleries, sport NGOs and any other sport, arts and culture organisations. 
• Community arts centres that are viable; and can provide/ create work opportunities for artists.
• Organisations must also be able to demonstrate how the proposal will bring sustainability to sport, arts and culture in the country.
• Applications and/or proposals that will contribute to job opportunities, particularly targeting rural communities and target groups (youth, women and people with disability).
• Applications and/or proposals targeting marginalised art forms e.g. heritage related projects, folk, diphala, sicathamiya and other indigenous arts and culture art forms.
• Applications and/or proposals targeting marginalised communities e.g. Khoi San community.
• Online proposals focusing on education and capacity building in the sector.

IMPROVING ACCESS

The Department has introduced measures to ensure enhancement of access for all potential applicants; by engaging with Community art centres, public libraries and Love Life centres. These will be used as platforms for assisting practitioners with online and manual applications.  All information about these centres will be available on the Department’s website and through various media platforms that the Department’s Communication and Marketing will be using. Also, there is a call centre that has been set up to deal with inquiries. Communication between applicants will be conducted through emails, SMS’s or WhatsApp, depending on your preferred mode of communication, which you will indicate on the application form.