Department Sport, Arts and Culture

Mzansi Golden Economy (MGE) Guidelines:

Criteria, Eligibility, Processes & Systems

2024/2025

1. OVERVIEW

1.1 Objectives

1.2 Work Streams

2. OPEN CALL

2.1 Summary of application process

2.1.1 Pre-Conditions of Application

2.2 E-services registration and login narration

2.2.1 e-Services Registration and Log in processes

2.3 Application for funding process narration

2.4 Attachments required for application

2.5 Online application rules

3. PROGRAMMES OVERVIEW

3.1 Cultural events

3.2 Touring ventures

3.3 Public art program

4. CRITERIA

4.1. Applicable criteria to all applicants

4.2. Cultural events application

4.3 Touring ventures application

4.4 Public art application

5. STANDARD REQUIREMENTS

5.1 Eligibility

5.2. Administrative criteria

5.3 Selection considerations

5.4 Restrictions

6. PROCESSING OF APPLICATIONS

6.1 Adjudication Process

6.1 Attachments

6.1 Contracting and payments

ABBREVIATIONS AND DEFINITIONS

AFS	Audited Financial Statements
Co-financing	Project receiving funds from more than one source.
DSAC	Department of Sport, Arts and Culture
Department	The Department of Sport, Arts & Culture
EOI	Expression of Interest
EPWP	Expanded Public Works Programme
GDP	Gross Domestic Product
M&E	Monitoring and Evaluation
MGE	Mzansi Golden Economy Strategy
MinMEC	Ministers and Members of the Executive (MEC)
MOU	Memorandum of Understanding
Multidisciplinary	With more than one genre/discipline (e.g music, theatre, dance, visual art, etc.)
NACISA	National Academy for the Creative Industries South Africa
NGO	Non-Government Organization
NPO	Non-Profit Organization
Output	End-product of efforts made/ activities undertaken
PAP	Public Art Programme
SA ID	South African Identity Document
Tranche	Division of payment into certain percentages of total amount.

SECTION A

Mzansi Golden Economy (MGE) Overview

1. OVERVIEW

The Department Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) has embarked on a strategy to reposition the arts, culture and heritage sector as key players in government’s programme of action for social cohesion, creation of sustainable jobs and ensuring social and economic development. To this end the Department convened a consultative conference on 14 and 15 April 2011 for arts, culture and heritage sector stakeholders to deliberate on various proposals to optimize the contribution of these sectors to these priorities and specifically to the New Growth Path.

Prior to the conference there was a review of development efforts to date, accompanied by consultations with key role players. The review and consultations were used to generate a high level problem statement, develop a strategy and make specific proposals, including new large scale interventions focusing on the creative and cultural industries. The Mzansi Golden Economy Strategy (MGE) was the outcome of these processes.

The strategy considers the arts, culture and heritage sector as the “new gold” which has the potential to increase economic growth and create jobs in South Africa (Business and Arts South Africa, 2012). The DSAC has thus implemented MGE, which aims to enhance economic development and social cohesion for the country.

The purpose of MGE is to make strategic investments to optimize the economic benefit of the arts in South Africa. By improving investment in key areas of the creative economy, it is anticipated that job creation and productivity will be enhanced and the sector’s global competitiveness will be increased.

1.1 Objectives

The MGE objectives are:

Stimulate Demand: the result will be the expansion of supply and work opportunities. The focus areas within this programme will consist of the Public Art Programme, Cultural Events, the Art Bank, and the Sourcing Enterprise.
Audience Development and Consumption: Building on existing initiatives, the aim of this programme is to elevate projects into large scale national programme to develop audiences for the creative and cultural industries and increase consumption of the offerings of the arts, culture and heritage sector.
Building Heritage Resources: Development of areas of heritage to change the colonial and apartheid bias of heritage exhibition and interpretation in the country. The three focus areas are Heritage Projects, the National Liberation Heritage Route and the Marine Heritage.
Information Gathering: To collect evidence and analyze the performance of the arts, culture and heritage sector to inform policy shifts and guide future resource allocation.
Human Capital Development: Focusing on the early identification and development of talent and influencing choice of career path. The focus areas include the Arts Education and National Cultural Industries Skills Academy.
Developing cultural entrepreneurs: Focusing on the identification and development of the skills, products and services of the cultural entrepreneurs and the development of sustainable enterprises in the creative industries.

In implementing key programmes designed to obtain these objectives it is anticipated that the overall impact of the programme on the creative economy will be:

Positioning the arts as a valuable contributor to economic growth and job creation
Stimulating economic development
Promote sustainability
Raising the profile of South Africa as a destination for cultural consumers and increasing tourism (visitor) volume and spend
Building the professional capacity of the sector
Improving the production and dissemination of local content

1.2 Workstreams

There are various workstreams that comprise the MGE strategy.

Objective	MGE Workstreams
Audience development & consumption	Cultural events Touring ventures Cultural precincts Artists in schools
Stimulate demand	Public Art Art Bank Identified legacy projects
Human capital development	Training and Skills Development
Research & statistics	Cultural observatory
Market expansion and suistanability	Venture Capital
Early stage and start up investment	Debut Fund

SECTION B

Mzansi Golden Economy (MGE) Open Call

Only three (3) of MGE workstreams: Cultural Events, Public Art and Touring Ventures are funded through Open Call.
The MGE open call is a competitive grant funding

DSAC announces a request for proposals based on the current needs and emerging challenges of the arts, culture and heritage sector.
Funding is based on the merits of the submitted application.
Applications are reviewed for eligibility and completeness
No applicant is automatically entitled to funding.

Support will be provided to projects/programmes that are to be implemented from April 2024 to March 2025
The Open Call will run from 4th - 31st October 2023.
The result of the adjudication will be published prior to the commencement of the 2024/25 financial year.

2.1 SUMMARY OF APPLICATION PROCESS

All applications must be submitted through the MGE online portal.

1. 1. Pre-Conditions of Application

The Applicant must have;

accessed the e-services portal on www.eservices.gov.za;

a valid email address;
a valid RSA ID;
a valid cellphone number.

1. e-SERVICES REGISTRATION AND LOGIN NARRATION

e-Services Registration and log in process
Roles	Applicant
Procedure	An Applicant registers on the e-services portal. Once registered the Applicant will receive a One Time Pin (OTP) to their cellphone number in order to verify the user. If the Applicant has an existing profile the Applicant logs into the portal with his/her existing credentials. Once logged in the Applicant access the DSAC MGE Grant Management system which will be listed under e-services menu.

1. 1. e-Services Registration and Log in processes

2.3 APPLICATION FOR FUNDING PROCESS NARRATION

MGE Open Call Application for funding process
Roles	Applicant
Procedure	An Applicant registers and logs into the e-services portal and selects Sport, Arts and Culture.. The applicant will select type of programme: (Touring Ventures, Public Art or Cultural Events) and will select the application type: (PTY or NPO); The applicant is required to accept the Terms and Conditions before starting with online application; Applicant will complete application details and attach the relevant documents on the system; The applicant must accept or decline the declaration. Once declaration has been accepted the applicant will be able to submit the application and receive a unique reference number via e-mail and SMS.

TIP: For accessible internet and Wi-Fi please visit your nearest community library. Library Directory per provinces; https://www.nlsa.ac.za/condgrant/

1. ATTACHMENTS REQUIRED FOR APPLICATION

Private/Public Companies (PTY limited)	Non-Profit organization (NGO’S, Trusts)
1.Copy of SA ID; 2.SARS good standing document; 3.Proposal with budget breakdown; 4.Company registration certificate; 5.Invitation letter for Touring Ventures applications.	1.Copy of SA ID; 2.SARS good standing document; 3.Proposal with budget breakdown; 4.NPO registration certificate; 5.Invitation letter for Touring Ventures applications.

Private/Public Companies

(PTY limited)

Non-Profit organization

(NGO’S, Trusts)

1.Copy of SA ID;

2.SARS good standing document;

3.Proposal with budget

breakdown;

4.Company registration

certificate;

5.Invitation letter for Touring Ventures applications.

1.Copy of SA ID;

2.SARS good standing document;

3.Proposal with budget

breakdown;

4.NPO registration

certificate;

5.Invitation letter for Touring Ventures applications.

1. ONLINE APPLICATION RULES

Rules
All fields have to be completed as indicated in the Field Definition Table; The RSA ID Number must be a 13 digit number and must be validated using the following format: {YYMMDD}{G}{SSS}{C}{A}{Z}; Ensure all mandatory fields have been completed; For all date fields, display a calendar; Email addresses must contain an “@” character; Attached all required documents; Reference Number to be created once the user has submitted their application; The reference number will be auto-generated according to the chosen programme type (e.g Cult001/ Pub001 or Tou001) The applicant must only update the application if the status is “Submitted”; The applicant must only withdraw the application if the status is “Submitted”; The system auto saves the application when the applicant clicks on the next button;

Rules

All fields have to be completed as indicated in the Field Definition Table;
The RSA ID Number must be a 13 digit number and must be validated using the following format: {YYMMDD}{G}{SSS}{C}{A}{Z};
Ensure all mandatory fields have been completed;
For all date fields, display a calendar;
Email addresses must contain an “@” character;
Attached all required documents;
Reference Number to be created once the user has submitted their application;
The reference number will be auto-generated according to the chosen programme type (e.g Cult001/ Pub001 or Tou001)
The applicant must only update the application if the status is “Submitted”;
The applicant must only withdraw the application if the status is “Submitted”;
The system auto saves the application when the applicant clicks on the next button;

SECTION C

Programmes overview

3.1 CULTURAL EVENTS

The cultural events work stream supports large and small scale local, regional and national events that promote the arts, culture and heritage and that contribute to local economic development, job creation and the development of audiences. The specific objectives of the work stream are to:

To upscale existing events and festivals allowing increased diversity of cultural offerings, enhanced quality of productions, extension of event timeframes.
To support projects with obvious economic and social benefit for the location.
To increase the audience and exposure that each production receives which will in turn increase the number of jobs created, livelihoods supported and income generated through the events.
To enhance the social cohesion in the country by promoting diversity of content and audiences in the specific the location of the project.
To increase the up-skilling opportunities of for creative practitioners and communities.

3.2 TOURING VENTURES

The Touring Ventures programme aims to support broader, cost-effective opportunities for the nation’s cultural output to be viewed, participated in and enjoyed within South Africa and abroad. The objectives are:

To increase the audience and exposure that each production receives which will in turn increase jobs created, livelihoods supported and income generated through the events.
To enhance the social cohesion in the country by promoting diversity of content and audiences in the specific the location of the project.
To increase the up skilling opportunities of for creative practitioners and communities.
To support the national, provincial and local government, cultural institutions, cultural agencies, arts groupings and individual arts practitioners in a reciprocal and sustainable approach to touring.
The development of new audiences for existing work development
Creating market access through annual programmes aimed at the development and promotion of young artists.

3.3 PUBLIC ART

The aim of the grant funding is to enable the creative arts sector to stabilize and consolidate, providing access to work and experience, build capacity, transfer skills and create linkages to support infrastructure (e.g. urban renewal project & parks), Expanded Public Works Program (EPWP), enhance quality of life, support heritage and tourism. The aim of the work stream is to:

Showcase creativity in public spaces, either on a permanent or temporary basis.

Advocate for and change perceptions of the arts at all levels.
Promote participation in and enjoyment of the arts at community level.
Promote partnerships the long term (through co-financing models).
Reduce dependency on government’s financial assistance and encourage the development of a sustainable the arts, culture and heritage sector.
Encourage the inclusion of cultural matters in urban planning frameworks, the inclusion of the sector in planning processes and accountability to communities and stakeholders by the sector.
Stimulate local economic activities that contribute to local and regional economies.

SECTION D

2024/25 CRITERIA

4.1 CULTURAL EVENTS APPLICATION

The cultural events workstream will support local district based and/or large-scale events that promote the arts, culture and heritage, that contribute to local economic development, job creation and the development of audiences.

Objectives	To support diverse arts and culture events in celebration of 30 years of Democracy in South Africa. The year 2024 marks the thirtieth anniversary of democracy in South Africa. To support local economic development and job creation imperatives. To develop and maintain audiences.
Target Events	The following events will be considered for support: Multidisciplinary Cultural Events: The term “multidisciplinary; describes a practice of combining a variety of disciplines/genre together in a festival, exhibition or fair. Africa Month The Department host Africa Month programme with the aim of bringing the people of South Africa even closer to the people on the continent. Beauty pageants and modelling competition/events do not qualify. Film Production and post production do not qualify (refer to the NFVF guidelines).
Criteria	1. THEME: Celebration of 30 years of Democracy in South Africa. - The year 2024 marks the thirtieth anniversary of democracy in South Africa. 2. Job Creation & Local Economic Development - Extent to which women, youth and people with disabilities enjoy a share of ownership, participation and employment, - the cost per job/work opportunity, - the number of jobs/work opportunities created for cultural and creative practitioners/ artists based within the specific local district, - the number of jobs/work opportunities created for supporting sectors within a local district/locality. - Applications of over R 1 Million must propose at least 90 job/work opportunities including number of cultural and creative practitioners/ ..artists to be employed. 2. Geographically spread within a locality/district -Extent to which rural areas in a local district enjoy a share of participation. 3. Audience Development - Profile existing audiences and newly targeted audience based on projections of a success grant award 4. Social Cohesion - The extent to which communities are integrated and involved in the project. - Diversity of programming, content and audiences. 5. Creative: Innovation & Competitiveness - Distinctiveness of the proposed project in the context of comparable. activities in the proposed locality and province. - Quality of the cultural and creative programme content. 6. Additional - specifically for Africa Month - Encourage people to people contact through inclusive participation. - Support the work and ideals of the African Union. - Be a celebration of Pan Africanism and common heritage. - Address societal ills like crime, racism, tribalism and xenophobia. - Strengthening social cohesion among communities and the continent.
Grant Threshold	The maximum available grant is *R 2 Million per* grant per beneficiary. The grant amount will be awarded at the discretion of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC).

4.2 TOURING VENTURES APPLICATION

The Touring Ventures workstream will support broader, cost-effective opportunities for the nation’s cultural and creative outputs to be viewed, participated in and enjoyed nationally and internationally.

Objectives	To facilitate cultural and creative products touring internationally to develop and explore new markets and provide employment opportunities for cultural and creative practitioners/artists. Showcase and promote diverse South African cultural and creative products.
Target ventures	Touring existing product/s, production/s and/or exhibition/s in following genre; Performance and Celebration Music, Theatre and Dance Visual Arts and Crafts: Fine Arts, Photography and Crafts Books and Press: Literary exhibitions and festivals. Design and Creative Services: Fashion, Interior and Graphic.
Compulsory	Applicants must produce a letter/invitation confirming their participation from an organization /counterpart inviting them.
Criteria	1. An existing cultural and creative product. - To an extent that the existing product can demonstrate that it is viable, marketable and potentially profitable. 2.Job Creation & Local Economic Development - Extent to which women, youth and people with disabilities enjoy a share of ownership, participation and employment, -the cost per job/work opportunity, -the number of jobs/work opportunities created for cultural and creative practitioners/ artists. 3. Market Access/Development -Extent to which the event will extend the market potential of participants -Provide details of the potential market that is being explored and/or developed. 4. Creative: Innovation & Competitiveness - Distinctiveness of the proposed project. - Quality of the cultural and creative programme content.
Grant Threshold	The maximum available grant is *R 1 Million per* grant per beneficiary. The grant amount will be awarded at the discretion of the National Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC).

4.3 PUBLIC ART APPLICATION

Public Art workstream will support projects that beautify, promote the use of public space, promote participation in and enjoyment of the arts at community level and provide employment opportunities for cultural and creative practitioners/artists.

Objectives	To beautify and promote the use of open public space. To develop and stipulate demand for cultural and creative products. To promote involvement in the arts by the general public. To support diverse arts events which are geographically spread
Target Projects	Public art projects that are either mobile, permanent or temporary in the following genre under the theme 30 years of Democracy in South Africa Performance and Celebration Visual Arts and Crafts: Artistic expressions with the theme in fine arts (drawings, painting, prints, sculpture, ceramics, mosaic etc). All applications must include 3 to 4 images of previous artworks as evidence of experience, capability and potential.
Criteria	1.To beautify and promote the use of open public space. - The Public Art project must be outdoors in an open public space accessible to the public. 2. Stimulate demand for cultural and creative activities/products. - outline the role of the project in stimulating demand for arts, culture and heritage activities based on projections of a success grant award. 3. To promote involvement in the arts, culture and heritage by the general public. - Showcase and promote diverse South African artistic and creative skills. - Profile and promote cultural and creative practitioners/artists within a locality. 4.Job Creation & Local Economic Development - Extent to which women, youth and people with disabilities enjoy a share of ownership, participation and employment, -the cost per job/work opportunity, - the number of jobs/work opportunities created for cultural and creative practitioners/ artists. 5. All applications must include 3 to 4 images of previous artworks as evidence of experience, capability and potential.
Grant Threshold	The maximum available grant is *R 500 000 per* grant per beneficiary. The grant amount will be awarded at the discretion of the National Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DAC).

SECTION E

STANDARD REQUIREMENTS

5.1. ELIGIBILITY

This call is open to all tax compliant South African Citizens owned and managed arts, culture and heritage organizations and enterprises that have independent legal status i.e. are registered as a Non-Profit Company, a Public Limited Company.
No beneficiary will be awarded two DSAC grants simultaneously, regardless of the size of the grant, sourced from any DSAC programme, in any given year. Organizations must declare any other involvement with DSAC.
Only one application per organization/company in one funding cycle is allowed.
Depending on the total budget and the scale of the project preference will be given to projects that are co-financed or part-financed or have any other form of partnerships Proof of such commitment must be provided.

5.2. ADMINISTRATIVE CRITERIA

The following will lead to automatic disqualification:

Provision of dishonest and inaccurate information.
Incomplete submission of Application Form, Proposal and/or Compliance Documentation.
Submission of applications that do not adhere to the format and length guidelines established.
Failure to disclose any conflicts of interest.
Failure to disclose any funding secured for the project being applied for and/or any current working being undertaken for the DSAC.
Project timeframe falls outside of stated funding timeframes.
Project that falls outside of domains and genres/disciplines stipulated under Section D.
Requested funds exceeding the stated maximum thresholds of the individual open calls.
Late submission of any and all documentation.
Applications submitted by post, fax and/or email.

Companies, individuals including directors in companies that previously defaulted or failed to adequately report for any DSAC funding.
Applications submitted by government employees including public entities and their immediate families, schools, universities, and any other organs of state as stated in the Treasury regulations.
Applications received from non-South African citizens/companies/organizations.

5.3 SELECTION CONSIDERATIONS

DSAC awards funds at its discretion and grants may be awarded below the stated thresholds.
Requests for Film Production funds should be directed to the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) and DTIC’s Emerging Black Filmmakers Incentives
Projects will not be supported retrospectively. Project activities should not commence prior to the grant commitment and signing of the necessary contractual documentation.
All government employees including public entities and their immediate families are NOT eligible to apply for funding with the DSAC.
Schools, universities, and any other organs of state as stated in the Treasury regulations are NOT eligible to apply for 2024/25 MGE Open Call.
This application process will not consider Touring Venture projects for the UK Season, China Season or Russia Season. Separate processes will be followed to solicit projects for these platforms.
Project that falls outside the domains and genre/ disciplines stipulated under Section D will not be considered.
Guidelines will be reviewed annually for the improvement of the process.

5.4 RESTRICTIONS

MGE Open Call grant does not cover/fund the following;

Payment of salaries of individuals in organisations/companies.

Operational costs of organisations/companies
School fees or tertiary tuition of an individual or organisations/companies

SECTION F

Processing of applications

6.1 ADJUDICATION PROCESS

Step 1: Verification of Online Applications

DSAC officials will verify all applications prior to adjudication. The following applications will be immediately disqualified;

applications with outstanding required compliance documents;
applications with incorrect or invalid attachments as per required compliance documents
applications received after closing date.
Project that falls outside the domains and genre/ disciplines stipulated under Section D will not be considered.

Step 2: Making the decision

A panel of experts has been appointed, comprising DSAC internal and external panel members to evaluate the applications based on the merits and criteria of each funding instrument.

No urgent applications will be considered.

The recommendations of the panel for all projects will be tabled for the approval by the relevant delegated official of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.

Grants are awarded at the discretion of the Department, informed by the criteria, panel recommendations and available budgets in any given year.

Step 3: Notification

The Department will communicate the decision and the conditions of awarding the grants in writing. Lists of successful beneficiaries will be placed on the DSAC website.

Step 4: Submission of a Full Proposal/revised Project Plan and Documentation

After the grant approval letter is received, prospective beneficiaries will have maximum of 21 working days to submit a full proposal/revised Project Plan as would be directed by the Department, with a full budget breakdown based on the approved budget.

Failure to submit compliance documents and full proposal/revised Project Plan as would be directed by the Department within 21 working days could result in the forfeiting of the awarded grant.

The proposal must be accompanied by the following compliance documents;

Private/Public Companies (PTY limited)	Non-Profit organization (NGO’S, Trusts)
Certified copy of SA ID; Original valid good SARS standing document; Confirmation of banking details from your banking institution; Company profile; Proof of co-financing or part-financing depending on the amount requested and the total budget of the project; Information on the Board of Directors of the company; Letter from the beneficiary governing structure providing the full name and identity number of the individual empowered to enter into contracts (Letter of Authority).	1.Certified copy of SA ID; 2.Original valid SARS good standing document; 3.Confirmation of banking details from your banking institution; 4.Company profile; 5.Proof of co-financing or part-financing depending on the amount requested and the total budget of the project; 6. Information on the Board of Directors of the company; 7.Letter from the beneficiary governing structure providing the full name and identity number of the individual empowered to enter into contracts (Letter of Authority).

Private/Public Companies (PTY limited)

Non-Profit organization (NGO’S, Trusts)

Certified copy of SA ID;
Original valid good SARS standing document;
Confirmation of banking details from your banking institution;
Company profile;
Proof of co-financing or part-financing depending on the amount requested and the total budget of the project;
Information on the Board of Directors of the company;
Letter from the beneficiary governing structure providing the full name and identity number of the individual empowered to enter into contracts (Letter of Authority).

1.Certified copy of SA ID;

2.Original valid SARS good standing document;

3.Confirmation of banking details from your banking institution;

4.Company profile;

5.Proof of co-financing or part-financing depending on the amount requested and the total budget of the project;

6. Information on the Board of Directors of the company;

7.Letter from the beneficiary governing structure providing the full name and identity number of the individual empowered to enter into contracts (Letter of Authority).

A grant can only be considered awarded once a formal letter addressed to the beneficiary has been received, the necessary documentation has been submitted and a contract has been signed between the beneficiary and DSAC.

The submitted proposal and supporting documentation will be reviewed by the Department to establish organizational competence as follows:

Evidence of financial stability, track record of implementation and accountability.
Evidence of a clear mandate and competent administration and governance.
Evidence of other sources of support/sponsorship, (such as: financial support from audiences, donations, gifts, in-kind from the private sector, and funds from other levels of government).
Own income sources and fundraising/resourcing strategy.
Marketing and promotional plans to fully maximize audience potential.

This step will not be required for grants less than R300, 000.

Step 5: Contracting & Payment

Correspondence in Step 3 and the submission of the detailed project plan in Step 4 will be followed by the drafting of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) based on a standard template signing an Agreement that will outline contractual arrangements with the beneficiary.

The MOU outlines the tranche structure of the grant, and the obligations of both parties. Note that there are obligations on the beneficiary with regard to DSAC branding, reporting and monitoring and evaluation.

Note that any changes to the contractual agreement that arise during the grant period must be negotiated with the Department Sport of Arts and Culture. Any tranche structure amendments will require the signing of an addendum.

For payment to be effected, it is essential that:

All contractual obligations relevant to the payment have been fulfilled.

Final tranche payments will only be made once all contractual obligations have been met including accounting for the full first tranche with invoices and receipts.

A standardized reporting format will be provided. Failure to adhere to reporting timelines and requirements as per MOA will result in beneficiaries forfeiting the grant and the Department instituting a process to recover the funds.

Note: that the submission of Annual Financial Statements for large grants received by relevant companies and non-profit organizations is non-negotiable.

For further enquires related to MGE open call grant contact;

MGE call center: 0800 724 278

Email: mge@dsac.gov.za

(Mzansi Golden Economy: Guidelines October 2023)