R77m in further relief from sports, arts and culture

THE Department of Sports, Arts and Culture has set up a second wave of Covid-19 relief funding to the tune of R77 million to cushion the creative sector that has borne the brunt of the pandemic.

Beneficiaries of this funding will be entitled to R2 200 for a period of three months – from next month until November.

According to Minister Nathi Mthethwa, the second batch of relief funding will take into account the shortcomings and experiences of the first rollout.

Applicants will be required to provide proof of having earned income through arts, culture and heritage activities. This can be done in the form of providing contracts, invoices, bank statements and municipal trading permits in the 12-month period ending in February, 2020.

“Practitioners will need to prove their applicability in the sector through provision of their portfolio of work or academic achievements in the sector and reference from other prominent practitioners who have been in the field for 10 years or more.”

The minister stated that individuals who depend on gigs such as freelancers, independent contractors, creatives whose income is generated from participating in sports, arts, culture and heritage activities would be eligible for the emergency relief.

Mthethwa revealed that R11m of the allocated R77m has been ringfenced for a partnership with Small Business Development.

“In partnership with the department of Small Business Development we have agreed to jointly set aside R22m to respond to a plea from the Cultural & Creative Industries Federation of South Africa for the Craft, Design and Visual Arts sectors towards relief amid the Covid-19 pandemic.”

In the first wave of relief funding, the department received 5 322 applications in the categories of sport, digital, arts, culture and heritage.

Through the adjudication and appeals processes 4 602 applications were then recommended; 1 570 applications were not recommended. To date, the total of R61m has been disbursed to beneficiaries.

Mthethwa elaborated on some of the reasons why the applications were not recommended by adjudication panels.

“For digital, other applications were not innovative ideas… they did not respond to the 4th Industrial Revolution. Other practitioners, particularly in the arts and culture sector, had no indication of cancelled or postponed events, or generally did not fall within the set criteria. We also had applicants who were not compliant with tax, especially companies.”

The Solidarity Fund has also come through for the department with 10 000 food or cash vouchers of R700 amounting to R7m. The department will collaborate with provinces to put together a list of beneficiaries that will receive vouchers. “Beneficiaries will be identified in both urban and rural areas. Those that are receiving social grants and UIF will be excluded from benefiting,” Mthethwa said.