Partners in the FEC Project. Back: Siphokazi Ndhlovu (Jobs Fund), Lionel Kunene (Jobs Fund), Andre le Roux (ConcertsSA), Monica Newton (National Arts Festival), Saartjie Botha (Woordfees) Cornelia Faasen (NATi). Front: Bosman Puren (Aardklop), Lesego Mafora (SAMRO), Jana Hattingh (Suidoosterfees), Crispin Sonn (KKNK) and Hugo Theart (KKNK). Photo: Nardus Engelbrecht
What is the Jobs Fund?
The Jobs Fund is a South African government R9 billion matching grant making programme managed by the National Treasury aimed at boosting employment and inclusive economic growth. The Fund operates on Challenge Fund principles i.e. its grant making process is transparent, competitive and success criteria are clearly defined. The Fund supports job creation interventions that generate sustainable employment beyond the grant making phase.
The Jobs Fund works with a range of partners, including the Private Sector, Development Agencies, Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs), Public Sector entities amongst others. These collaborations aim to leverage additional resources and expertise to maximize the impact of the Fund.
Overall, the Jobs Fund is a strategic tool used by the South African government to address unemployment and stimulate economic development through targeted financial support and partnerships.
The FEC project: Uniting arts festivals and Concerts SA
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, Suidoosterfees, 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 nighttime 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.”
Key features of the FEC project
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.
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, Suidoosterfees 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.
