For immediate release

Johannesburg, 11 May 2020

NAC cancels international bursaries due to Covid-19 uncertainty

The National Arts Council (NAC) regrets to inform applicants that it has cancelled the awarding of international bursaries for postgraduate arts studies for the 2020/21 academic year, due to the global Covid-19 crisis.

“The uncertainty surrounding the corona virus, means that we do not know if certain international universities and institutes will be open for learning this year; nor, indeed, do we know when international air travel will be permitted again. This has led Council to take the undesirable decision of cancelling the bursaries for this year. We realise this will come as a disappointment to many current and prospective overseas students. We empathise with their plight. However, we believe this is the most responsible course of action. We remain firmly committed to the furtherance and prosperity of the South African arts sector.” says NAC CEO Rosemary Mangope.

To this end, Mangope said, the funds originally allocated to the international arts bursaries will be redirected to local arts practitioners to create projects that utilise information technology and digital platforms, specifically to address the catastrophic loss of jobs and income resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Please email info@nac.org.za with any queries relating to the bursaries or project funding, and keep visiting www.nac.org.za, for updates.

Ends.