Culture Fund, EU unveil culture grants

By The NewsDay | Mar. 13, 2020 | 2 Min read

THE Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust has called for project proposals from players in the arts and culture industry following funding by the European Union Delegation to Zimbabwe to the tune of ₧300 000 to strengthen the capacity of artists.

BY PHILLIP CHIDAVAENZI

Culture Fund projects officer Simbarashe Mudhokwani said the initiative, dubbed Creative Actions Project, will see players in the culture industry accessing grants of between ₧500 and ₧50 000 per project.

“The objectives of the call for proposals is to strengthen the capacity of creative CSOs and arts and cultural practitioners; enabling them to meaningfully contribute to the growth of the creative sector and to enhance creative civil society organisations’ role in promoting equitable access, inclusive participation and benefiting from artistic and cultural expressions by all citizens for improved social cohesion, gender equality and livelihoods,” he said.

Mudhokwani said the fund was keen to support innovative projects by local creatives in various arts and culture disciplines.

“The call for proposals will support new and innovative projects from Zimbabwean artists, cultural practitioners and institutions, creative civil society organisations, private operators involved in creative industries, arts associations and professional networks as well as arts education institutions,” he said.

Mudhokwani said under the first lot of ₧200 000, which consisted of larger grants, artists could apply for between ₧6 000 and ₧50 000 while under Lot 2 of smaller grants, between ₧500 and ₧5 000 will be on offer.

“The indicative allocation for grants under this Lot is ₧100 000 reserved within an Emergent Arts Reserve Fund. This fund will remain open and proposals will be received on a rolling basis and reviewed every three months,” he said.