NAC CALL FOR FUNDING

ARTS ORGANISATION SUPPORT FUNDING PROGRAMME

FOR A THREE-YEAR PERIOD: 2025/26 – 2027/28

IS NOW OPEN

CLOSING DATE 23 January 2026 @ 23 h59          OUTCOMES DATE 31 March 2026

The National Arts Council of South Africa (NAC) invites registered arts organisations and companies within the arts sector to apply for the three-year Arts Organisation Support Funding. Eligible organisations active in the disciplines of craft, dance, music, visual arts, literature, theatre and multi-discipline are encouraged to submit an application outlining how their projects or programmes address the NAC’s critical focus areas.

 The funding will be allocated in line with the six critical focus areas of the NAC reflected below:

• Social Cohesion and Nation Building
• Marginalised and Indigenous arts
• Addressing social ills
• Supporting vulnerable groups
• New Works and Digital Arts
• Capacity Building and Entrepreneurship

Proposed projects/programmes should have impact on arts and/or local communities. The creation of new works, arts development, arts promotion, job creation, capacity building in arts entrepreneurship and facilitation of access to the arts will be taken into consideration. Furthermore, proposals that promote nation building and social cohesion and have a strong community base in collaboration with others working in similar fields will be preferable. Proposed artistic programmes must demonstrate impact and value for the communities they operate in. This invitation also encourages arts organisations that support the involvement of women, youth and people living with disabilities particularly in historically disadvantaged areas.

Consideration will be given to organisations that have the capacity and proven track record to implement arts programmes according to various phases, within the required timelines. In addition, organisations should demonstrate the capacity to utilise the funding with integrity and compliance with the principles and practices of sound governance. The different phases and ceiling amounts for funding are:

Foundation Phase: Organisations operational for 1 – 5 years – maximum of R500 000 per annum

Intermediate Phase: Organisations operational for 5 years or more – maximum of R750 000 per annum

Established Phase: Organisations operational for more than 10 years – maximum of R1 000 000 per annum

Arts organisations that have received NAC 2025 Project Funding are not eligible to apply for Arts Organisation Support Funding. Beneficiaries that are successful in receiving Arts Organisation Support Funding will not be eligible to apply for Project Funding or Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme (PESP) Funding during the three-year funding period.

Applicants are required to complete the relevant application form, submit a three-year business plan accordingly and comply with the funding criteria and guidelines which are obtainable from the NAC offices, website and via email on request. Please note that late and incomplete applications will not be considered, and no exceptions will be made. Funding is at the discretion of the NAC. The NAC reserves the right to allocate funds according to its priorities. If you do not hear from the NAC by 31 March 2026, please consider your application unsuccessful.

Applicants need to register and complete the online application form using the following link : https://nac.praxisgms.co.za  at 11h59pm.

Funding guidelines can be downloaded from www.nac.org.za

For more information and manual application form request, contact the NAC Office at:

Tel: 011 010 8886  Email: info@nac.org.za

National Arts Council, P O Box 500, Newtown, 2113

66 Margaret Mcingana Street, Market Theatre Precinct,

Newtown, 2113 Tel: 011 010 8886

Email: info@nac.org.za