Arts Culture Trust Act Scholarship

The Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) Nyoloha Scholarship Programme is one of the few long-term undergraduate scholarship initiatives in South Africa dedicated to performing, visual and digital artists. Its name comes from the Sesotho word for 'Rise'. The programme identifies school leavers with creative talent and puts them through a structured, multi-month mentorship and training process before two scholarships are awarded each year, one per discipline category.

Rather than a simple funding application, Nyoloha runs as a competitive development pipeline: a larger group of participants is selected for mentorship and training with industry professionals, and the eventual scholarship recipients are chosen based on their performance through that process and a final exhibition or showcase.

According to ACT's own published terms, the scholarship covers registration and tuition fees, plus a study materials allowance of up to R5,000 a year, but does not cover accommodation, transport or general living expenses. Recipients also receive several months of mentorship and industry exposure as part of the programme before the final award.

The scholarship funds tertiary arts study at an accredited South African institution offering performing, visual or digital arts qualifications, rather than a single named university.