Arts funding in South Africa works differently from most other fields - there's no single flagship government bursary doing the heavy lifting, and a lot of what's available is a scholarship, competition, or mentorship programme rather than a straightforward tuition bursary. This guide brings together every verified music, performing arts, and screen-arts funding option currently tracked on this site for the 2027/2028 intake.
Making a Living in Music, Film, and the Arts
It's worth being honest about the shape of a creative career before you commit years of study to one: very few working musicians, actors, or visual artists earn their whole income from performance alone. Most build a portfolio of related income - a classically-trained musician might teach privately or through a school, play sessions and weddings, and perform with an orchestra or ensemble; a visual arts graduate might combine gallery work, freelance commissions, and arts education. That said, the opportunities have genuinely expanded in recent years: South Africa's film and television production sector has grown fast on the back of international streaming demand, creating real jobs in production, sound, editing, and post-production that didn't exist a decade ago. Radio and broadcast media remain a stable, if competitive, destination for music graduates, and arts administration - running festivals, galleries, and cultural institutions - is a legitimate, less visible career path for people who love the arts but not necessarily the stage. Music teaching, whether privately or through a school, is often the most financially stable route of all, which is why several of the bursaries below come from teacher associations rather than performance bodies.
Before You Start Applying
Read the fine print on eligibility carefully in this field - several of the scholarships below explicitly exclude people who are already working as professional artists, since they're designed for students transitioning into the industry, not supplementing an existing career. Others, like the Fine Music Radio Bursary, are structured as competitions with a fixed number of category winners rather than open funding pools, so treat them as a genuine audition, not just a form to fill in.
Music and Performance Bursaries
These fund music study specifically, from private teaching costs through to performance diplomas.
SASMT Study Bursary - Restricted to South African Society of Music Teachers members of more than two years, studying music locally or internationally at an SASMT-approved institution or with an approved teacher. Awarded every second year. Closes 31 October 2026.
Fine Music Radio (FMR) Bursary - A competition-style bursary for tertiary students in Classical Voice, Classical Instrumental, Jazz Vocal/Instrumental, or African Music performance. R120,000 total awarded across the four categories, with one winner per category.
SASMT Teacher Bursary - A companion programme to the SASMT Study Bursary above, aimed at supporting students training specifically toward music teaching rather than performance. Full eligibility and funding details aren't yet verified on this site.
SAMRO Bursary - SAMRO (the Southern African Music Rights Organisation) is the body that collects and distributes music royalties on behalf of composers and publishers. Its bursary programme supports music students, in keeping with its role supporting the local music industry; specific current terms aren't yet confirmed here.
Mmabana Arts, Culture and Sports Foundation Bursary - Mmabana is a well-known North West province arts and culture development foundation running training academies in music, dance, and other disciplines. Its bursary supports students at its academies; full details are still being verified.
Film, Screen, and Visual Arts Funding
These cover film, television, visual arts, and adjacent creative-industry study.
NFVF International Bursary - From the National Film and Video Foundation, for citizens or permanent residents accepted onto a full-time postgraduate film or TV qualification abroad that isn't offered in South Africa. Capped at R280,000, inclusive of tuition and living expenses. Apply at least six months before your course starts.
Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) Scholarship - For citizens aged 17-25 in Grade 12 or with a university exemption, new to tertiary arts study (not already working professionally as an artist), studying performing, visual, or digital arts. Covers registration and tuition plus a R5,000/year materials allowance, alongside several months of mentorship culminating in a final showcase.
NRF Scholarship at the University of Johannesburg - Funds Master's and PhD study specifically in Visual Arts. Requires at least 65% in your prior degree and to be under 30 (Master's) or 32 (PhD); full funding needs South African citizenship plus a higher academic bar, lower household income, or disability status. This cycle closed 31 May 2026 - check back for the next intake.
SARB Art Scholarship - From the South African Reserve Bank, for financially needy citizens entering final-year undergrad, Honours, Master's, or an eligible Advanced Diploma in Fine Arts. Closes 30 September 2026.
KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission Bursary - The KZN Film Commission promotes and develops the province's film industry; its bursary supports students pursuing film-related study, consistent with that mandate. Full eligibility details aren't yet verified here.
National Arts Council of SA Bursary - The National Arts Council is a major government-funded arts development body, more commonly known for project and organisational grants than direct student bursaries. Confirm current student funding terms directly with the NAC.
Cape Audio College Bursary - Cape Audio College is a specialist audio engineering and sound production training institution in Cape Town. Its bursary would typically support students in audio/sound engineering programmes; specific terms aren't yet confirmed on this site.
South African Composers Competition - A competition aimed at composers rather than performers, likely offering prize funding or recognition rather than a conventional tuition bursary. Full current details are still being verified.
FEDISA Fashion School Bursary - FEDISA is a private fashion design education institution with campuses in several South African cities. Its bursary supports fashion design students; eligibility and funding specifics aren't yet verified here.
MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) South Africa Training Programme - MultiChoice's pan-African training initiative for film and television creatives, running structured production-skills academies rather than a conventional bursary. Confirm current intake details directly with MultiChoice.
The Lockdown Collection (TLC) Bursary - The Lockdown Collection began as an art-sale initiative supporting South African artists during the COVID-19 pandemic; a connected bursary would likely support visual arts students. Details are still being confirmed.
The Foschini Group (TFG) Bursary - TFG is one of South Africa's largest fashion and lifestyle retail groups. A creative-arts-relevant bursary from TFG would likely support fashion design or retail-related creative study; full terms aren't yet verified.
Fame Academy SA Bursaries - A performing arts training bursary programme; the administering institution and current eligibility criteria haven't yet been independently verified.
Revolution Media Academy Bursary - From Revolution Media Academy, a media and broadcast training institution, supporting students in media production-related study. Full details on coverage and eligibility are still being confirmed.
Didn't find what you need? Browse the full bursaries and scholarships listing for every field, or read our guide on writing a CV for a bursary application before you start sending yours out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it worth studying music or performing arts if the income is unpredictable?
It depends on how you define the goal. Very few graduates earn a living from performance alone, but a music or arts qualification opens teaching, arts administration, broadcast, and production roles alongside performance work - most working artists combine several of these rather than relying on one. If financial stability matters most to you, look closely at the teaching-focused bursaries above.
Why do some scholarships exclude people who are already working as artists?
Programmes like the ACT Scholarship are specifically designed to fund the transition from student to professional, not to subsidise an already-established creative career. If you're already working professionally, look at project grants or organisational funding (like the National Arts Council) instead of student scholarships.
Do I need to already be a strong performer to get a music bursary?
For competition-style funding like the Fine Music Radio Bursary, yes - treat the application like an audition. For teaching-focused bursaries like the SASMT options, academic commitment and SASMT membership matter more than performance-competition credentials.
What's the difference between the NFVF International Bursary and MultiChoice Talent Factory?
The NFVF bursary funds a specific postgraduate qualification abroad that isn't available in South Africa. MultiChoice Talent Factory is a structured, in-house training academy rather than a bursary for outside study - you train directly within their programme rather than choosing your own institution.