Arts & Culture Trust

What Arts & Culture Trust does

The Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) is a registered South African non-profit trust (NPO #005-227, PBO #18/11/13/3166) founded in 1994 in Johannesburg, operating as a development and grant-making organisation serving arts and culture practitioners across all nine provinces of South Africa. Established by the Ministry of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology in response to an invitation from Nedcor Bank (now Nedbank) and Sun International, the trust was originally named the Arts & Culture Trust of the President during Nelson Mandela's tenure as Patron-in-Chief and now operates independent of government. With 17 employees, ACT runs a portfolio of programmes including ACT Nyoloha (undergraduate scholarships for performing, visual and digital arts), ACT Thuthukisani (90-day accelerator for arts entrepreneurs), ACT Centre of Excellence (alumni network and vodcast platform), ACT Warrior Wall (heritage recognition), Arts & Culture Research Unit/ACRU (research collaboration with the University of Johannesburg), ACT Counselling (mental health support with Humanitas), the ACT x SODA Smart Theatre/Mixed Reality Lab Programme, the ACT Writers Lab, and historical programmes such as ACT Awards, ACT Development Programme, and DALRO|Nedbank Scholarships.

ACT's underlying technology is minimal in terms of proprietary IP — its primary digital interface is the act.org.za website, supported by social media on X and Facebook, an email newsletter with ~1,626 blog subscribers, and the YouTube-hosted NPO Bootcamp vodcast series produced with Tanaka Pictures. The trust operates on a non-commercial distribution model, providing all programme services free of charge to beneficiaries through open applications, auditions, portfolio reviews, and nomination calls. Its revenue model combines three streams: (i) corporate sponsorships led by Nedbank's Arts Affinity (R32m+ over 32 years), Sun International, MTN South Africa, ICRD Group Foundation, and DALRO; (ii) returns from a trust endowment seeded with R5m in contributions from five founding trustees (R1m each from Nedbank, Sun International, Department of Arts & Culture, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and Vodacom); and (iii) disbursement of grants and bursaries to arts practitioners (R31m+ disbursed cumulatively across 830+ projects, 800 bursaries, and 32 scholarships). Pricing to beneficiaries is zero — scholarships are valued at R300,000 each (2 awarded annually via Nyoloha) and R50,000 each (DALRO|Nedbank), with postgraduate bursaries at R30,000 each — while income flows are sponsor-funded and endowment-derived.

Name

Arts & Culture Trust

Legal name

Arts & Culture Trust

Website

https://act.org.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Arts & Culture Trust is a Johannesburg-based South African non-profit trust, founded in 1994, that funds, mentors, and develops individual artists and arts organisations across all nine provinces through scholarships, bursaries, accelerators, alumni networks, and research initiatives, supported by corporate sponsors led by Nedbank and Sun International.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts Development and Funding Services

NAICS

Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (81399)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs (BPAGAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB), Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC)

Keywords

• Arts development
• Arts funding grants
• Arts scholarship programme
• Creative sector investment
• Arts capacity building

Headquarters

HQ city

Johannesburg

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Private Sector Funding: The majority of ACT's financial support comes from the private sector, including corporate sponsors such as Nedbank, Sun International, and MTN South Africa. Nedbank's Arts Affinity programme alone has donated more than R32 million over 32 years. Support from the private sector funds programmes such as ACT Nyoloha, ACT Thuthukisani, and ACT Tlholo.
2. Investment Portfolio: ACT's investment portfolio generates returns that contribute to the organisation's financial sustainability, supplementing private sector support. The original endowment was established in 1994 when each of the three Founding Trustees contributed one million rand.
3. Grant Disbursements: ACT distributes grants and bursaries to arts practitioners, organisations, and students. The ACT Development Programme has supported more than 800 organisations and projects nationwide, valued at more than R23 million in total. Postgraduate bursaries of R30,000 each are offered for MA or PhD studies in arts disciplines. DALRO|Nedbank Scholarships of R50,000 are granted annually in visual art, singing, acting, musical theatre and dance categories.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) is a registered South African non-profit trust that provides development, grant-making, and investment services for arts and culture practitioners across all 9 provinces. ACT operates multiple programmes including scholarship awards (ACT Nyoloha), arts entrepreneur business development (ACT Thuthukisani), alumni networking (ACT Centre of Excellence), heritage recognition (ACT Warrior Wall), free counselling, research (ACRU), and postgraduate bursaries. All programmes are offered free of charge to beneficiaries and funded primarily through corporate sponsors (Nedbank, Sun International, MTN South Africa) and ACT's own investment portfolio.

Product overview

Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) operates as a multi-programme arts development and investment organisation rather than a single product company. The portfolio comprises several distinct programmes: ACT Nyoloha Scholarship Programme (flagship youth development initiative offering undergraduate scholarships for performing, visual, and digital arts with mentorship and training), ACT Thuthukisani Programme (business development accelerator for arts entrepreneurs with 90-day project implementation), ACT Centre of Excellence (alumni network and professional development hub with vodcasts and mentorship), ACT Warrior Wall (legacy/heritage awards initiative with lifetime achievement and mentorship components), Arts & Culture Research Unit/ACRU (research collaboration with University of Johannesburg), and ACT Free Counselling Services (mental health support in partnership with Humanitas). The organisation also runs historical programmes including ACT Awards, ACT Development Programme, ACT Building Blocks, and DALRO|Nedbank Scholarships. Recent additions include the NPO Bootcamp vodcast series and ACT Writers Lab. The programmes are supported by corporate sponsors Nedbank, Sun International, and MTN South Africa, and government partners including the Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ACT Nyoloha Scholarship Programme Undergraduate scholarship initiative providing life-changing opportunities for school leavers aged 17-25 to pursue tertiary studies in performing, visual, and digital arts. Combines mentorship, training, and live showcases. Awards two full scholarships annually valued at R300,000 each, covering registration fees, tuition fees, and study materials up to R5,000 per year.
• ACT Thuthukisani Programme Business development programme investing in registered or informal arts businesses and artists from all nine provinces. Includes a 90-day implementation period with training, mentorship, and monetary investment for selected participants to develop profitable products and sustainable arts businesses.
• ACT Centre of Excellence (CoE) Alumni network space for ACT programme alumni and current/past board members and staff. Facilitates collaboration, mentorship, vodcasts, round table discussions (online and in-person), networking events, and a resource bank (Asset Map of Members).
• Arts & Culture Research Unit (ACRU) Collaborative initiative between ACT and University of Johannesburg College of Business and Economics, hosted by Swiss Hotel School South Africa. Promotes arts and culture research positioned within economic growth and socio-economic development.
• ACT Warrior Wall Legacy and heritage initiative evolving from ACT Awards. Features nominations in Excellence in the Arts, Excellence in Arts Entrepreneurship, and Life Time Achievement Award categories. Includes mentorship for aspiring arts writers and mural/graphic artists.
• ACT Free Counselling Services Free nationwide counselling services for South African artists, ACT alumni, and strategic partners. Partnership with Humanitas. Provides 8-12 sessions per appointment covering trauma, grief, addiction, personal development, couple counselling, and life changes.
• ACT Awards Annual awards held since 1998 in recognition and celebration of excellence in South African arts, culture and creativity. Has celebrated individuals and organisations making significant contributions to cultural life in South Africa. Now evolved into the ACT Warrior Wall initiative.
• ACT Development Programme Flagship grant-making programme in existence since 1994. Changed in 2017 to comprise discipline-specific grants and postgraduate bursaries. Has supported more than 800 organisations and projects nationwide with contributions valued at more than R23,000,000. Offers ten bursaries of R30,000 for postgraduate arts studies (MA or PhD).
• ACT | DALRO | Nedbank Scholarships Scholarship programme funded by Nedbank and DALRO, supported by Market Theatre Foundation. Provides scholarships of R50,000 annually in visual art, singing, acting, musical theatre and dance categories.
• ACT x Soda Smart Theatre and Mixed Reality Lab Programme South Africa's first Smart Theatre and Mixed Reality Lab Programme. Designed to equip performers with technology skills. Partnership with SODA Smart Theatre and Mixed Reality Lab.
• ACT Writers Lab Screenwriting programme with exclusive training and mentorship from award-winning local filmmaker. Limited to 10 spots per cohort.
• NPO Bootcamp: Arts & Culture Edition Vodcast Vodcast series in partnership with Tanaka Pictures. Shares practical leadership lessons from people building and sustaining creative sector organisations. Distributed via YouTube (@NPOBOOTCAMP) and the ACT website.

Quantifiable outcome

• R31 million+ disbursed to arts and culture projects across South Africa over 31 years (excluding ACT Awards prize money and other developmental efforts)
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tanaka PicturescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 July 2026Tanaka Pictures, a multimedia production house focused on creating uplifting and actionable content for young South Africans, partnered with ACT to produce the NPO Bootcamp: Arts & Culture Edition vodcast series. Hosted by Nobantu Mqulwana, Managing Director of Tanaka Pictures, the series shares practical leadership lessons from people building and sustaining creative sector organisations. Premiered on YouTube 13 July 2026. Tanaka Pictures aims to support emerging South African social enterprises and non-profit organisations with practical knowledge and sector insight.
• HumanitascoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2025Humanitas is ACT's partner for the nationwide rollout of free counselling services for South African artists, ACT alumni, and strategic partners. The partnership, launched in May 2025, provides 8-12 counselling sessions per appointment covering trauma, personal development, grief counselling, addiction management, couple counselling, and life changes counselling. Humanitas provides qualified counselling interns who deliver services online via Microsoft Teams or WhatsApp Video Call.
• Market Theatre FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Market Theatre Foundation is a supporter of the ACT|DALRO|Nedbank Scholarships Programme. The Foundation serves as an institutional partner in the administration and support of arts scholarship recipients.
• University of Johannesburg (College of Business and Economics)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUJ's College of Business and Economics is a key partner in the Arts & Culture Research Unit (ACRU), a collaborative initiative co-hosted by ACT and the Swiss Hotel School South Africa. ACRU promotes arts and culture research positioned centrally within economic growth and socio-economic development, exploring multidisciplinary approaches to building the cultural and creative economy. ACT Symposium: The CCI Creative Web is co-hosted with UJ.
• Swiss Hotel School South AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Swiss Hotel School South Africa hosts the Arts & Culture Research Unit (ACRU) in partnership with ACT and the University of Johannesburg. ACRU aims to promote arts and culture research by positioning it centrally within economic growth and socio-economic development.
• The South African Creative Industries IncubatorminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe South African Creative Industries Incubator collaborated with ACT (alongside MTN South Africa, Nedbank, and industry professionals from the alumni) to empower over 200 art practitioners with business tools and knowledge through the ACT Centre of Excellence.
• SAG (South African Guild of Actors)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured in the NPO Bootcamp Episode 1 as a guest interviewee. SAG is the South African Guild of Actors, with Chairperson Jack Devnarain featured in the inaugural episode discussing sector advocacy and leadership.
• Chocolate TribeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured in the NPO Bootcamp Episode 1 as one of the initial four interviewees. Chocolate Tribe is a creative studio or production company represented by Founder and CEO Nosipho Maketo-van den Bragt in the vodcast series.
• Craft and Design InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured in the NPO Bootcamp Episode 1 as one of the initial four interviewees. The Craft and Design Institute is represented by Group CEO Erica Elk in the vodcast series exploring leadership in the arts and culture non-profit sector.
• Artist Proof StudiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured in the NPO Bootcamp Episode 1 as one of the initial four interviewees. Artist Proof Studio is represented by Chief Operating Officer Nathi Simelane in the vodcast series.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• British Council: UK's international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. Comparable to ACT in supporting arts and culture development globally and operating partnership-driven programmes, though British Council is a much larger organisation with a broader portfolio beyond arts.
• Ford Foundation: Major US-based private foundation with significant arts and culture grantmaking programmes. Comparable to ACT as a private-sector-endowed grantmaking organisation, though Ford Foundation operates globally and across multiple sectors beyond arts.

Direct peers

• Sundance Institute: US-based non-profit arts organisation that supports independent artists through grants, labs, mentorship, and showcases. Comparable to ACT's Nyoloha Scholarship Programme and Centre of Excellence in combining scholarship funding with mentorship-driven artist development across multiple disciplines.
• Arts Council England: England's national development agency for arts and culture. Directly comparable to ACT in function — distributes public and private funding to artists and arts organisations, runs development programmes, and operates with national scope and multi-decade legacy.
• National Arts Council of South Africa: South Africa's primary government-aligned arts funding body. Directly comparable to ACT as both operate as national arts funding/grantmaking organisations in South Africa, though NAC is government-administered while ACT is private-sector funded. Both target South African arts practitioners across all provinces.
• National Endowment for the Arts (NEA): The United States' federal arts funding agency. Comparable to ACT as a national grantmaking body supporting artists and arts organisations across all disciplines, with multi-decade legacy and a mandate spanning grants, capacity building, and sector development.
• Canada Council for the Arts: Canada's national arts funding body with a comparable mandate to ACT — supporting artists across disciplines through grants, scholarships, and capacity-building programmes. Both organisations pursue a similar model of public-interest arts investment with programmes spanning the full lifecycle of artistic careers.
• The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation: One of the largest private arts grantmaking foundations globally. Comparable to ACT in operating as a private-sector-funded endowment that distributes grants and capacity-building support to arts organisations, artists, and cultural institutions across multiple disciplines.
• Creative New Zealand: New Zealand's national arts development agency. Comparable to ACT in delivering grants, scholarships, and capability-building programmes to artists across all disciplines, with a similar focus on supporting creative entrepreneurship and indigenous arts development.
• Australia Council for the Arts: Australia's national arts funding and development body. Directly comparable to ACT in mission and structure — provides grants, scholarships, and capacity building to artists across all disciplines. Like ACT, it operates as the country's premier independent arts investment organisation with multi-decade legacy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/actorgza
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@NPOBOOTCAMP
• Facebookfacebook.com/actorgza
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/arts-culture-trust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Arts & Culture Trust