21/11/2025
OPEN LETTER TO THE NATIONAL ARTS COUNCIL OF SOUTH AFRICA ON THE OUTCOMES OF PROJECT FUNDING
Issued by: VAR DBN, 17 November 2025
We wish to express our concern regarding the recently announced project funding outcomes for the 2025/26 year. Our intention is to seek clarity and promote transparency to strengthen the broader creative ecosystem.
We note that Visual Arts, along with Crafts and Literature, was allocated R2,600,000.00, while Dance, Theatre and Music received R3,900,000.00. Multidisciplinary Arts received R6,900,000.00. We also observe that many “multi-disciplinary” projects effectively fall within dance, theatre or music practice.
We would appreciate insight into the basis for these allocations. Is there a specific rationale for the visual arts receiving a smaller proportion than dance, theatre and music? Do these allocations correlate with the volume of applications received, or with each discipline’s contribution to the cultural and creative economy? If so, it would be helpful for the relevant evidence or methodology to be shared with the sector.
We also note a general shift in favour of funding individuals over organisations. While it is understandable that individuals constitute a large pool of applicants - and thus a large share of beneficiaries - it is less clear why, on average, individuals received slightly higher grant amounts (R95,475.00) than organisations (R92,459.00). Given that organisations often carry more extensive operational responsibilities, this pattern raises questions about how sustainability is being supported across the sector. The lighter reporting requirements for individuals compared to organisations may further complicate matters for non-profits already facing financial and administrative constraints.
The limited support for organisations is particularly pronounced within the visual arts. Only six organisations were funded, fewer than in any other discipline (literature: 7; theatre: 12; dance: 13; music: 16; crafts: 22; multi-discipline: 30). As a result, organisational funding constitutes only 27% of the visual arts allocation - lower than most other disciplines except music. While we acknowledge that the average grant for visual arts organisations was comparatively higher (R117,495.00), the overall number of supported entities remains very low, with no KZN-based visual arts organisations receiving project funding. By comparison, KZN based organisations in craft (2), theatre (3), music (2), literature (1) and multidisciplinary arts (3) received funding.
These figures may suggest that few visual arts organisations applied. However, we know this was not the case. In Durban alone, four impactful non-profits — KwaZulu-Natal Society of Arts (KZNSA), Africa South Art Initiative (ASAI), Amasosha Artists Movement, and Community Archives Project (CAP) — had their proposals declined.
Given the ongoing challenges faced by the visual arts ecosystem in Durban, this is particularly concerning. VAR DBN was formed in 2024 in response to what many practitioners identified as a crisis in the city’s visual arts sector; 64 Durban-based practitioners publicly endorsed this view. The fragility of the local ecosystem has long contributed to the migration of artists to Johannesburg, Cape Town and abroad — a trend spanning decades. In this context, the non-approval of all Durban-based visual arts organisational applications suggests a potential disconnect between panel decisions and the realities on the ground.
We acknowledge that resources are limited and that no organisation or individual is entitled to funding. However, in the interest of accountability and sector development, we believe it is reasonable to seek clarity on several key issues:
i) The rationale for the comparatively lower allocation to the visual arts relative to other disciplines.
ii) The reasons why the average grant to approved individuals exceeds that of organisations, given their differing responsibilities and costs.
iii) The basis on which all applications from Durban-based visual arts organisations were declined.
In conclusion, we remain committed to advocating for an equitable and transparent funding landscape, one that recognises the diverse needs of all artistic disciplines. We will continue to engage constructively with the NAC and monitor future outcomes with the aim of supporting a balanced and sustainable arts ecosystem.
