The Arts and Culture Trust (ACT) is a private sector initiative, which provides financial support for the development, promotion and celebration of South African arts and culture. ACT once again invites individual artists, groups and organisations involved in cultural or heritage work to submit funding applications for projects taking place between June 1 2006 and May 31 2007.

Applications will be considered in the following arts disciplines: arts administration, arts education, community art, festivals, heritage, craft, fine art, dance, music, theatre, literature and multi-disciplinary projects.

Projects should fall within one or more of the following five areas of development to be eligible for funding: job creation; creative skills; management skills; cultural diversity, cultural tourism or the expansion of local and international markets for South African culture.

ACT does not fund international travel, film, video and new media. At the discretion of the ACT Board of Trustees bursaries will be awarded to formal and informal academic institutions specialising in arts and culture. ACT does not consider individual bursary applications.

Applications must be submitted on the prescribed application forms which can be obtained from the ACT Offices in Woodmead or downloaded electronically from the ACT website at www.act.org.za

The deadline for applications is March 11, 2006. No late applications will be considered. The ACT board of Trustees will review the applications received and successful applicants will be announced during the last week of May 2006.

ACT is supported by the following Founding Trustees: The Department of Arts and Culture, Nedbank, The Vodacom Foundation, Sun International and The Royal Netherlands Embassy. For more information go to www.act.org.za or phone 011 802 7646.