Call for applications: BASA COVID-19 Artists Relief Fund in SA

The fund is an extension of BASA's Supporting Grants programme and will consider applications from artists for once-off, short-term financial aid for COVID-19-related medical care and/or prescription medicines. The aid can also be used to offset the loss of income due to the cancellation of confirmed engagements, as a result of the nationwide lockdown or other emergency measures.

BASA has also launched a crowdfunding camping via GoGetFunding where the public can support the initiative.

“COVID-19 has forced the world to unite and fight against this invisible enemy," BASA chairperson Charmaine Soobramoney said. "The challenge and the fight are real, as the virus impacts, lives, livelihoods and the economy, and highlights the inequalities that need to be addressed.

“The BASA board of directors acknowledges the continued challenges artists are subjected to. We celebrate their resilience and appreciate the role that they play in provoking thought and uplifting the energies of the consumers of the arts.”

Artists Relief Grant

To apply for an Artists Relief Grant, applicants can submit a proposal letter together with specified supporting documentation via email to grants.basa@icloud.com. Successful applicants are then invited to complete an online application with a final outcome expected within two weeks.

The BASA Artists Relief Fund supports artists in South Africa who have been infected or affected by COVID-19, specifically:

• Artists who have either been diagnosed with COVID-19 and/or are being treated for COVID-19 symptoms.
• Artists who are experiencing a loss of income due to cancellations or postponements of confirmed engagements, as a result of being infected with COVID-19 or due to the national state of disaster and subsequent lockdown.

Criteria

• The BASA Artist Relief Fund will assist the individual artist, freelance creative or independent contractor.
• Organisations, collectives or any other group of artists are not eligible for the fund. However, they and their business sponsors are still invited to apply through the regular channels for Supporting Grants.
• Members of groups who have been affected may only apply to the relief fund in their personal capacity (as per the guidelines and required criteria). Applicants must be: practising artists, whether emerging or established, at least 18 years of age, with proven work experience of at least 12 months in any arts/culture/creative genre, and who are South African citizens with valid ID documents, or practising artists, whether emerging or established, at least 21 years of age with proven work experience in any arts/culture/creative genre for at least 3 years, and who have had permanent residence in South Africa for at least 12 months with a valid passport and applicable visa.
• Preference will be given to applicants who have been hospitalised with COVID-19.
• Artists with permanent employment of any kind are not eligible for this fund. The fund is specifically aimed at freelancers or independent contractors whose sole income source is their creative work, and who do not have a regular salary source or institutional support.

Applicants must:

• Submit a short proposal letter via email to grants.basa@icloud.com with all relevant information, and a breakdown of the details and loss of income.
• Supporting documentation in the form of a medical diagnosis, or project contract must be attached.
• A one-page letter from the applicant’s client/employer with a high-level overview of the cancelled or postponed project must be attached.

Incomplete proposal letters will not be processed. Successful applicants will be invited to complete the online application and will be notified of an outcome within 10 working days. Eligible applicants may be added to a waiting list due to the availability of funds. Approved grant payments will be paid out twice monthly (mid-month and month-end).

Further details regarding eligibility criteria are available here.

For enquiries about the Artist Relief Fund, email grants.basa@icloud.com.

Supporting Grants

To apply for a Supporting Grant, applicants have to adhere to a process, which has been designed to add value to an already existing partnership between an arts organisation and business sponsors. Both the arts applicant and the sponsor must submit a joint application on the prescribed forms and clearly demonstrate how the partnership benefits both the sponsor and the recipient.

New, emerging and established arts projects that already have sponsors on board are eligible, and forms are available for download here. 

For enquiries about BASA Supporting Grants, email sipho@basa.co.za.

View the original call here.