Funding for Arts and Culture in the New South Africa

Funding for arts and culture in South Africa has become a partnership between government, the corporate and private sectors. The aims are to transform South African society, to heal the divisions between white and black culture in a nation building thrust, to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor, to develop skills and create jobs so that there is a radical and catalytic change for the better in the quality of life of Africans. Changes have occurred in corporate social investment with tremendous concerted inputs from all sectors. Local and grassroots challenges remain although policy frameworks allow scope for improvement. Political interference and self-enrichment are obstacles that need to be guarded against in an atmosphere of democracy, transparency, whistle-blowing and moral regeneration. Long-term investment and integration of management excellence, technology, skills, integrity and accountability into the fabric of every South African life needs to continue if the envisaged aims are to be achieved without sacrificing creative and artistic quality.