Music Mobility Fund calls for new projects

PLANNING a music tour but unsure how to fund it? Apply to Concerts SA’s Music Mobility Fund which will select new projects to support in July. The tour funding mechanism offers opportunities for professional South African musicians to undertake live music tours in South Africa as well as other Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries. The fund provides support toward live music performances, collaborations and performance-based workshops.

Since it was initiated in 2013, the Music Mobility Fund has received over 700 applications and supported more than 130 tours with artists like Madala Kunene, Tu Nokwe, Andre Petersen, Wendy Oldfield, Mark Fransman and Msaki.

The Fund is administered by Concerts SA, a joint South African/Norwegian project housed within the SAMRO Foundation. Working with musicians, promoters, venue owners and music sector stakeholders, the project aims to build a vibrant and viable live music circuit in southern Africa. It also seeks to develop an interest in and appreciation of live music by showcasing music performances and conducting workshops at schools. Among the projects that may be financed are tours and concerts, including regional, national or provincial tours, as well as performances at festivals and showcases. The Music Mobility Fund also funds artistic collaborations with merit among musicians based in different provinces of South Africa or SADC countries.

Qhawekazi Giyose and Gugulethu Duma, who workshopped with legendary Madosini as part of their live performance project, said: “The Mobility Fund helped us actualize a project we have been conceptualizing for four years. It opened up doors for collaborations with artists and spaces we have been wanting to work with, and also motivated us to keep momentum going in our musical endeavours.”

National Projects Artists from all provinces are invited to apply for national projects taking place in any South African province(s).

The deadline for submissions is Sunday, 23 July 2017, and tours should take place between mid-August 2017 and 25th February 2018. Enquiries and applications should be submitted by email to concertssa@samro.org.za,or like Concerts SA on Facebook.