Activities in arts and culture were supported by one-fifth of companies (20%), receiving an average of 1% of CSI expenditure in 2022.
Support for arts and culture was highest in 2010 when over a third of companies (35%) supported the sector and it received an average of 5% of CSI spend. This has dropped to 1% of CSI spend in recent years. The performing arts have consistently received the largest share of arts and culture spend, with an average of 40% in 2010 and 48% in 2022.
Type of intervention
- Nearly half of the CSI spend on arts and culture (48%) was allocated to performing arts, up from 25% in 2021, when it most likely dropped due to Covid-19-related lockdowns.
- Funding for visual arts increased to a quarter of the average spend, up from 18% in 2021. The average spend on festivals, competitions and awards also increased in 2022.
The changing arts and culture landscape in South Africa
– The 1997/98 arts, culture, science and technology budget was R540 million. Only R4.4 million of the budget was earmarked for arts and culture.
– The Legal Deposit Act, 1997 (Act No. 54 of 1997) aimed to provide for the preservation of the national document heritage through legal deposit of published documents, and ensure the preservation and cataloguing of, and access to, published documents emanating from, or adapted for, South Africa.
– Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) was set up with a mandate to build partnerships between business and the arts sectors. Grants were allocated to secure partnerships and collaborative funding of identified projects.
– The National Heritage Resources Act, 1999 (Act No. 25 of 1999) introduced an integrated and interactive system for the management of national heritage resources.
– The Use of Official Languages Act, 2012 (Act No. 12 of 2012) was promulgated to regulate and monitor the use of official languages in South Africa.
– According to the South African Cultural Observatory’s Economic Mapping of the Cultural and Creative Industries in South Africa, the industry contributed R63 billion (1.5%) to South African GDP.
– The Department of Sports, Arts and Culture was allocated a R150 million relief benefit for arts, sports and culture organisations from the national relief fund during the Covid-19 pandemic.
– The arts and culture sector received a R6.2 billion budget for 2022/23 as outlined in the national budget.
– South Africa has eight heritage sites as proclaimed by UNESCO.
– BASA currently has more than 100 members including large corporates, SMMEs and creative organisations. By May 2022 the organisation had supported 1 718 projects with grants to the value of more than R43.8 million, which have leveraged over R567 million in sponsorship from the corporate sector.
