Donations to arts defended

THE management of the National Lotteries Board says the funding granted to various arts events meets the requirements and should not be compared with funding given to charities

NLB spokesperson Sershan Naidoo and NLB chairperson Alfred Nevhutanda told Sowetan yesterday that the current funding model of the organisation was based on application and not need.

Earlier this year the NLB was criticised for granting funds to the South African tour of US soul band Earth, Wind and Fire.

About R3,7 million from the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund was granted to the Jazz Foundation to stage the band's concert at the Coca-Cola Dome on March 27.

The NLB also funded the Nelson Mandela Bay International Music Festival at a cost of R8 million. This festival, held in Port Elizabeth, featured among other artists jazz legend George Benson.

"Organisations have to apply on time, submit all necessary supporting documents, have a proper business plan to receive funding.

The application must be in line with the focus of the sector they are applying to," Naidoo said.

"Yes, they (concerts) met these requirement," he said.

Naidoo said the mistake that charity organisations made was to compare funding granted to the arts with that given to charities.

"The arts advertise and charities do not do so, hence there is so much public outcry when the arts receive funding," he said.

Naidoo said another contributing factor to the funding was the fact that different sectors were given different times for them to apply for funding.

He said sports sector applications closed last year on September 14, charities closed on March 25 and the arts on April 29 this year.

A national consultative Indaba would later be held this year where the funding model and other aspects of the NLB would be discussed.