Trialogue conducts annual research into CSI spend on each development sector in South Africa. In 2023, 68 large companies participated in Trialogue’s primary research survey. According to the research, arts and culture were supported by 19% of companies and received 1% of average CSI expenditure in 2023.
National context of arts and culture in South Africa
- The national budget for arts, culture, sport and recreation was R6.3 billion in 2023/24, constituting 0.8% of the consolidated government expenditure of R2.24 trillion for the year. Of this, R2.7 billion was allocated to heritage promotion and preservation and R1.8 billion to arts and culture promotion and development.
- A 2022 South African Cultural Observatory (SACO) mapping study estimated the gross added value of South African cultural and creative industries to be R161 billion in 2020, representing around 3% of the total economic production of South Africa for that year. It also found that the industries account for 6% of all jobs in South Africa, or just over one million jobs, and that many people who work in the sector are freelancers working on short-term contracts.
- The Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme (PESP4), launched in October 2020 and geared towards employment creation and retention initiatives for artists, creatives, heritage sector workers and cultural workers, was allocated R462 million in 2023/24 with the aim of creating 40 000 jobs in the cultural and creative industry.
- The Sports, Arts and Culture Department’s 2023 budget vote speech stated that the department had allocated R36 million to support community arts centres and R20 million to upgrade community arts centres primarily in rural areas.
- The South African Heritage Resources Agency plans to rehabilitate and erect 12 memorial sites and declare 12 heritage resources between 2023 and 2026.
- In May 2023, the National Assembly approved an amendment to Section 6 of the Constitution, recognising South African Sign Language (SASL) as the 12th official language, to promote the rights of persons who are deaf and hard of hearing. This makes South Africa the fourth country in Africa to recognise sign language as an official language, after Kenya, Zimbabwe and Uganda.
Overview of CSI spend
Arts and culture were supported by 19% of companies and received 1% of average CSI expenditure.

Area of intervention
Average % CSI arts and culture spend 2023 n=10
29% Performing arts
23% Visual arts
22% Non-specific general donations
14% Culture and heritage
9% Language and Literature
3% Festivals, competitions and awards
- The portion of CSI spend on arts and culture invested in the performing arts decreased to 29% in 2023 from 48% in 2022.
- The visual arts and general donations were the next largest areas of spend in the sector, at 23% and 22% respectively.
Read more about arts and culture:
- Read the case study African museums – a future under threat?
- Read the 2022 research findings: Overview of CSI spend on arts and culture 2022.
Source: The original version of this article was published in the Trialogue Business in Society Handbook 2023 (26th edition).