Groundbreaking Collaboration Aims to

Boost Artist Opportunities and Touring

Above: Partners in the FEC Project include - back row from left - Siphokazi Ndhlovu (Jobs Fund), Lionel Kunene (Jobs Fund), Andre le Roux (ConcertsSA), Monica Newton (National Arts Festival), Saartjie Botha (Woordfees) Cornelia Faasen (NATi). Front row from left – Bosman Puren (Aardklop), Lesego Mafora (SAMRO), Jana Hattingh (Suidoosterfees), Crispin Sonn (KKNK) and Hugo Theart (KKNK) - image credit Nardus Engelbrecht

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6 September - A landmark partnership between South Africa's premier arts festivals, and its only dedicated music mobility fund, has been announced with the goal of empowering artists and stimulating better collaboration in the creative industry.

The Festival Enterprise Catalyst (FEC) project, a joint initiative by the National Arts Festival, Nasionale Afrikaanse Teater-inisiatief (NATi), Concerts SA, SAMRO, Woordfees, Aardklop, Suidooster Fees, KKNK and the Tribuo Fund with support from the Jobs Fund, will invest R20 million over two years to create, present and support works,  tour works across the country and through the Festival network and build the capacity of creative enterprises. The project has been created with a R10 million commitment from the Jobs Fund and an additional R10 million from the partners. 

By fostering collaboration, the FEC will create a sustainable circuit for artists, and stimulate job creation within the creative sector. By investing in new work and supporting existing productions, the project seeks to provide artists, technicians, and creatives with consistent income opportunities and stimulate further exposure by working collectively to bring international producers to South African Festivals. 

"This is an important moment for the arts industry," said National Arts Festival CEO, Monica Newton, "By working together, we can create a more vibrant and sustainable ecosystem that benefits artists and audiences alike."

Lesego Mafora, Head of CSI at SAMRO, said that the FEC “is not just about creating jobs — it's about creating meaningful work. Music travels, generates income, and has an impact far beyond the artist's physical presence... It is about mobility, circulation, and sustainability.”

Lionel Kunene (Senior Technical Advisor: Jobs Fund) said that this was new territory for the Jobs Fund, “While we don’t usually partner in this sector, we can already see that there is real impact potential in the Cultural and Creative Industries and that investing in this project will bring a level of sustainability to creative workers.”

The FEC will support works in all disciplines and languages, ensuring a diverse range of creative expressions. Andre le Roux, speaking on behalf of the Concerts SA project, highlighted the importance of the creative sector for night time economies noting that, “across the world, places with vibrant cultural scenes are places that people want to live in and visit so the value of this initiative is not only for creatives but also for the broader economy.” 

Co-production funding: Financial support to tour works across multiple festivals.

Collaboration: Partnerships between leading South African festivals.

Artist empowerment: Increased opportunities for sustainable income generation and exposure.

Training and support: supporting creative enterprises to make the most of the opportunities presented by the project.

Job creation: Stimulating economic growth in the creative industries and contributing to a more efficient eco-system.

Artists will continue to apply for Festival programming through open calls from the various festivals and Concerts SA  but productions that are viable for co-presentation will be presented into the partnership’s curatorial body for co-funding consideration. Shows that are selected through the programme will then be staged at multiple Festivals. 

More information on the project will be available on the social media platforms of the partners. 

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The FEC project is a collaboration between the National Arts Festival, the Concerts SA project supported by SAMRO, and under the auspices of the Tribuo Fund, the Nasionale Afrikaanse Teater-initiatief (NATi),  Woordfees, Aardklop, Suidooster Fees and KKNK. Together they are working with the Jobs Fund to implement the Festival Enterprise Catalyst (FEC) project. The aim of the project is to support the presentation of new works and touring of works between festivals and other partners over a two year period. 

The FEC arose out of a commitment from festivals to collaborate at an arts indaba hosted by the Tribuo Fund in June 2023. At the indaba artists and producers argued for the need for better coordination and collaboration between festivals to allow for the creation of a circuit of sustainable work opportunities. This would, in turn, create ongoing opportunities for income generation, audience development and market exposure. Concerts SA who, have for ten years have worked to grow music circuits in South Africa, joined the FEC to share their learnings and enhance opportunities for the music sector in the project, and to explore new ways to collaborate with festivals in the presentation of work.

The Jobs Fund is a challenge fund administered by National Treasury that aims to co-finance public, private and civil society that catalyse innovative solutions to overcome barriers to job creation with a focus on young people and women. FEC stakeholders submitted an ambitious application to the Jobs Fund to foster and promote partnerships, create new models of collaboration and critically, to support the creation and touring of new works.  The FEC has been funded as an enterprise development initiative which aims to reduce risks and remove barriers to market access. The FEC partners contributed R10 million which the Jobs Fund matched to make the R20 million project a reality.

Released for the National Arts Festival by

Sascha Polkey

media@nationalartsfestival.co.za 

083 414 0552