Act workshop on ways to get artists funding

Artists in the province were afforded an opportunity to learn more about ways they can use to acquire funding for their projects and effective mechanisms that could be used to market brands during the Arts and Culture Trust (Act) On the Move workshop at a hospitality venue in the city last Wednesday.
The gathering which attracted over 20 artists also discussed communication and marketing strategies that could be used to promote one’s artwork. It was learnt that this was Act’s campaign to educate artists about the services rendered by the organisation. Act Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Marcus Desando indicated that it was difficult to fund many artists at once because the trust does not have enough money as they also struggle to get potential sponsors on board. He reiterated that visual arts and literature were the most affected disciplines when coming to funding which is why the entity created discipline-specific grants to equally cater for all the art categories.

“It is worrying that artists from Limpopo are not receiving much from our organisation but you should note that we go through all the applications from the province. Your applications must grab the attention of the adjudicators. In a year we normally have about R1,1 million for grants and most winning projects are interdisciplinary,” Desando explained.
On the other hand the entity’s communication and marketing coordinator, Setumo-Thebe Mohlomi encouraged attendees to manage their social media pages effectively to grab more attention. He further emphasised that it was important for artists to market their products thoroughly on various platforms to reach potential investors and buyers. Mohlomi concluded by urging artists to continue seeking funding from various organisations.

Story/photos: ENDY SENYATSI
>>endy@observer.co.za