Iyasa gets $10k grant

Inkululeko Yabatsha School of Arts (Iyasa) and Mzilikazi Art and Craft Centre are among recipients of grants from the Culture Fund of Zimbabwe’s second 2014 cycle funding.

Inkululeko Yabatsha School of Arts (Iyasa) and Mzilikazi Art and Craft Centre are among recipients of grants from the Culture Fund of Zimbabwe’s second 2014 cycle funding.

iyasa_on_tour ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER

Grants worth $178,154 were awarded to 24 projects and programmes from throughout the country last week.

“During this cycle, a total of 131 grant applications were submitted requesting $1 894 078 85, an indication that the grant requests far outweigh available funding,” the fund said in a statement.

Bankrolled by Sweden and Denmark, the fund has been instrumental in the funding of projects meant to uplift Zimbabwe’s arts, culture and heritage in recent years.

Iyasa was given $10 000 for its programmes while the Mzilikazi Art and Craft Centre received $39 623.

Other recipients are Bulawayo Theatre Club ($3 830) and award winning AmaBooks Publishers ($3 303).

According to the statement, the Culture Fund is an organisation working within Zimbabwean society seeking to provide financial and technical support to cultural practitioners, institutions and activities with the ultimate aim of contributing to the development of the culture sector and creation of wealth in Zimbabwe.

Culture Fund partners for this grant programme were the Swedish International Development Co-operation Agency and the Royal Danish embassy office in Harare.

The next round of assessment of applications to the Culture Fund has been scheduled for the first quarter of 2015.

However, submissions of grant applications are done throughout the year.

The fund said: “All successful applicants will undergo compulsory grant agreement briefings before disbursement of funds is made enabling sharing of grant management best practice and signing of a memorandum of grant agreement.”