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NEW CALL FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL EMPLOYMENT STIMULUS PROGRAMME 6
(PESP 6) APPLICATIONS 2025
IS NOW OPEN
CLOSING DATE 09 October 2025 @ 23 h59 OUTCOMES DATE 01 December 2025
The National Arts Council South Africa (NAC) is pleased to announce a new Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme (PESP 6) call for arts and culture applications for the 2025-2026 financial year.
The PESP is a special government initiative geared towards employment creation for artists, creatives, heritage sector workers and cultural workers following the impact of COVID-19 in the sector. PESP 6 aims to provide an economic stimulus to support sector initiatives that create jobs in the creative and cultural sectors. Applicants are encouraged to propose projects that will create employment opportunities in the sector, as well as a multiplier effect in the creation of employment opportunities beyond the sector itself.
We hereby invite individual art practitioners and registered arts organisations and community arts centres active in the disciplines of Craft, Dance, Literature, Multidiscipline, Music, Musical Theatre, and Visual Arts to apply for funding. Only one application will be supported from both a natural person (individual) and a juristic person (organisation or company).
Projects should demonstrate the ability to be sustainable over a period of time.
Applicants are encouraged to apply for all types of arts or culture projects such as creation, composition, workshops, showcases, exhibitions, script writing, residencies, performances, and other art-related activities. Applications presenting content and offering training in South African Indigenous art forms and intellectual property are encouraged to apply. Proposed projects must demonstrate impact and value for the communities in which they are implemented.
Funding thresholds are as follows:
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TYPE OF
PROJECT
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PROJECT
AMOUNT
ALLOCATION
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NUMBER OF JOB OPPORTUNITIES CREATED
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MAJOR ART
OR CULTURE
PROJECT
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Allocation of up to R800
000
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Applications must propose at least 70 job opportunities including the number of artists to be employed, national footprint, capacity building element, audience development and should focus on youth participation and inclusion of vulnerable groups as beneficiaries.
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MEDIUM SCALE ART OR CULTURE PROJECT
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Allocation of up to R500
000
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Applications must propose at least 40 job opportunities including number of artists to be employed, capacity building, audience development and should focus on youth participation and inclusion of vulnerable groups as beneficiaries.
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OTHER ARTS OR CULTURE
PROJECT
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Allocation of up to
R300 000
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Applications will be assessed based on the artistic
merit of the project at the discretion of panel members and should focus on youth and vulnerable groups as beneficiaries.
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Applications requesting more than the maximum allocation budget as indicated above will not be considered.
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Applications must be submitted on or before 09 October 2025 at 23h59. Applicants need to register and complete the online application form using the following link: https://nac.praxisgms.co.za/.
Manual applications can be requested from pesp@nac.org.za or by calling 011 010 8850/011 010 8886. This service is reserved only for those who lack access to internet services.
Manual applications, hand delivered or couriered must be received on or before 09 October 2025 by 17:00.
Please note that late and incomplete applications will not be considered, and no exceptions will be made. Funding guidelines can be downloaded from www.nac.org.za.
For more information, contact pesp@nac.org.za or call 011 010 8850/011 010 8886
All successful projects must be concluded by 31 March 2026.
Appeals: In terms of section 12(1) of the NAC Act. You may submit your appeal within 30 days from the date on which the action or decision in question was made known by the Council, and appeal to the Minister of Arts and Culture.
Please send an email to NACAppeals@dsac.gov.za with the following information:
•The name and address of the appellant as per your application
•The application number (7-digit number or PESP6 reference)
•The grievance
•The reasons for the grievance
The NAC reserves the right to allocate funds according to its priorities. No applicant is automatically entitled to funding. All funding is at the discretion of the NAC.
Declaimer: All applicants who failed to comply with the NAC funding guidelines for this call will receive their Non-Compliance Decline Letters before the official outcomes date to allow them to solicit other funding opportunities.
The letter will not contain the specific reason for the decline as it is administratively impossible to do so before the official outcomes date. The letter will however contain contact details of the relevant Arts Development Officers to assist in providing specific reasons for the decline.
Applicants who will require a specific reason for their Non-Compliance Decline Letters are thus requested to contact the Arts Development Officer who will be cited in the letter to assist them with detailed reasons for the decline of their application.
Disclaimer:
Panel and Council members are not eligible to apply directly for funding during their term of office. This policy is in place to maintain transparency, fairness, and to avoid any conflict of interest in the decision-making process.
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