The National Arts Council of South Africa (NAC) has opened the 6th round of its Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme (PESP 6), and is calling on artists and cultural organisations to apply for funding to implement employment-generating projects in the 2025–2026 financial year.
The PESP was introduced by the South African government in response to the COVID-19 crisis as a key mechanism for revitalising the creative economy. The sixth iteration of the programme aims to fund projects that directly create job opportunities for artists, cultural workers and heritage practitioners, with additional emphasis on reaching youth and vulnerable groups.
Eligibility
This call is open to both individual arts practitioners and registered arts organisations, including community arts centres. Applicants may only submit one application—either as a natural person (individual) or as a juristic person (organisation or company). Projects must be capable of delivering employment outcomes, while also demonstrating potential for long-term sustainability and community impact.
Themes and categories
Proposals are welcomed across a wide range of artistic disciplines, including Craft, Dance, Literature, Multidiscipline, Music, Musical Theatre, and Visual Arts. Eligible activities may include the creation of new work, composition, script writing, workshops, residencies, showcases, performances, exhibitions, and other creative outputs.
Projects that incorporate training elements related to South African Indigenous art forms and intellectual property rights are especially encouraged. The NAC has also stressed that supported projects must provide demonstrable value to the communities where they are implemented.
Three tiers of funding are available depending on the scale and employment impact of the project:
Major projects may apply for up to R800,000, and are expected to create a minimum of 70 job opportunities with broad national impact.
Medium-scale projects may request up to R500,000, with at least 40 job opportunities to be created.
Other projects may apply for up to R300,000. These will be assessed primarily on artistic merit and alignment with the programme’s social goals.
Applications that request more than the maximum allowable budget for their category will not be considered.
How to Apply
The closing date for applications is 09 October 2025 at 23h59Â for online submissions.
Manual applications—intended only for those without access to internet services—must be delivered by hand or courier and received by 17h00 on the same day.
Applicants must register and submit their proposals through the NAC’s official online portal:https://nac.praxisgms.co.za
Manual applications can be requested via email at pesp@nac.org.za or by calling 011 010 8850 or 011 010 8886.
Your funding experts
InterArts Funding offers its expertise to assist you in applying for grant opportunities (including this one), leveraging our extensive experience to enhance your chances of securing the grant. It is important to clarify that InterArts Funding is an independent entity and is not affiliated with any specific funding organisation. While we have a commendable track record of success, we cannot guarantee the approval of your application. Grant outcomes depend on various factors beyond our control.