Good news for artistes
HAVING failed to access the artistes’ relief fund, many artistes who had stopped working had given up on ever getting relief for their continued livelihood.
A number of Zimbabwean artistes who were hoping for the government’s stimulus packages but failed to get them were wondering how to carry on with life. Most of them, musicians in particular, did not have any work due to restrictions imposed on live gigs because of the coronavirus pandemic.
However, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Well-to-do artistes and organisations from other countries have heard these pleas and are in a position to assist.
The Africa Culture Fund (ACF) stationed in Bamako, Mali (which has links with the Culture Fund of Zimbabwe headed by Farai Mupfunya), is helping all African artistes who come up with projects that will help improve the arts in the continent. Through its Africa Unite Against Covid-19 project which was launched in May, the ACF has already given grants to 120 artistes from 40 African countries. Within the framework of Solidarity Fund for Artistes and Cultural Organisations in Africa ( SOFACO ) project launched on September 26 with the aim of supporting African artistes and cultural organisations affected by the Covid-19 pandemic crisis, SOFACO is inviting interested artistes to submit project proposals for possible funding.
To be eligible, applicants must be based in Africa and must have been operating for at least five years in whatever project they say they are into. They must also show a document which authenticates that artistic career and must also submit their biographies. Together with these documents, a reference letter from a recognised person or from the National Arts Council is required. Finally, a budget showing the cost of the proposed project must be submitted. Details of these requirements may be obtained from the SOFACO website or www.africaculturefund. The deadline for submission of applications is midnight on October 28, 2020.
All applications should be sent by email to africanculturefund.net. For those who can deliver them personally, the address is Kanu-Sogoniko District, Rue 80, Porte 186, Burkina Faso. Telephone: +223 20 20 4345.
ACF is an initiative that emanates from African artistes and cultural actors committed to the professionalisation and development of the African creative sector. The fund defends the continent’s desire to write new stories through the voice of its unique culture. ACF is a pan-African organisation registered in Mali with which a headquarters agreement has been established. There has already been two calls so far for artistes to enter their projects and apply for grants and, as stated above, 120 grantees have already benefited.
ACF was first launched on May 23, 2020. It is the first batch SOFACO, which is an urgent response to the Covid-19 crisis in order to strengthen the resilience of artistes and cultural players on the continent through support for the creation and reconstruction of the social fabric of the African artistic sector.
This first call (Lot No 1: Special Covid-19/Artistes) was meant only for artistes and creators (individuals).
The deadline for receiving files for this call was June 30.
A second call (Lot No 2: Special Covid-19/Cultural Organisations) addressed to cultural organisations was in July.
The third call for proposals by the ACF, and dedicated to SOFACO, Batch No. 1: Special Covid-19/Artistes was launched in August.
The main objective of SOFACO is to strengthen the resilience of artists and cultural organisations through assistance for creation and reconstruction of the social fabric of the artistic sector in Africa facing the Covid-19 crisis.
At closing date, 638 duly completed applications had been registered, originating from 40 African countries and eight from Africans in the Diaspora.
The selection process was undertaken in three stages — the registration and examination of the applications leading to a clean registration file, the preselection by a reading committee, and the evaluation and the final selection by an autonomous and independent selection panel.
The selection panel was made up of three members from three African countries — Cameroon, Mali and Togo. They met on August 13 and 14 to proceed to the final selection.
At the end of the deliberations, 120 applications were selected, including at least one candidate in each of the 40 countries eligible for SOFACO funding. (One Zimbabwean has been selected so far). To these 120 candidates was added a 12-candidate waiting list. Applicants on the waiting list may potentially qualify for a grant if additional funds are available, or if some of the 120 beneficiaries are not able to fulfil the required administrative conditions within two weeks from the date of notification.
It is in the context of the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic that ACF initiated from April 27 to May 6 a first action of solidarity in the form of distribution of health kits to 25 cultural centres in the Malian capital. These kits consisted of hand washing kits, soap boxes, hydro-alcoholic gels, disposable gloves and protective masks.
The beneficiaries expressed their gratitude to the ACF for its approach, which they interpreted as a great gesture of solidarity and fraternity. After this, a decision was made to extend this solidarity gesture to all artistes in 40 African countries. Individual artistes and institutions were approached to fund this project. These included Burkina Faso Bank, Nelson Villabos Ferrer in Cuba, Joana Choumali from Ivory Coast and Amadou Sonogo of Mali.
To mention some of those who have already received the ACF grants, there is Ernest Armando Guambe from Mozambique, who set out a project involving a discussion on the effects of Covid-19 on tourism in Mozambique. He was successful in his application. Edwin Koga of Kenya submitted a proposal for a short film. He was also successful. Kamarou Dine Arekpa from Benin submitted a proposal on theatre and drama. He made it. Nocks Chatiza of Zimbabwe proposed a documentary which chronicles people who have survived the effects of Covid-19 and lockdown as well as the devastating effects of food shortages, economic crisis, rampant inflation, lack of running water, electricity power cuts, fuel shortages and unemployment. He also received a grant.
Fanta Diarra of Mali presented 16 paintings and 16 photographs in his application and got the grant.
It seems all diverse areas of the arts industry are receiving the AFC grants.
It is time that Zimbabwean artistes participated in such noble international projects.
Southern Africa Theatre Collaborative (SATC), a project carried out by Savanna Trust, which encompasses Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Botswana and South Africa, also received a grant
The purpose of the SATC is to facilitate international collaboration and the development of the skills of theatregoers from five African countries. The project supports 10 theatre-makers who will undergo an intensive 20-day theatremaking masterclass. The expected result is a full-length theatrical production launched in Harare with follow-up performances in other participating countries. Then there will be the launch of a feature film in Harare accompanied by performances from the other participating countries.
Ever since Beethoven came out with classical music in the 18th century, a lot of artistes, especially musicians, have harboured the romantic idea that they can simply live for their art alone, unfettered by everyday trivialities such as applying for grants, paying rent, medical care, paying for electricity and water, paying school fees for the children or buying food.
History, however, has shown that money — or a lack of thereof — has often been more than a bit of a worry to many artistes. Some have to battle with the uphill task of making money from their art, but it is time now that they look at other possible sources. With the Zimbabwe economy currently on its knees, many artistes are struggling to make a living. Some have even become destitute as they continue to suffer the worst economic crisis ever experienced in Zimbabwe.