Arts & Culture Trust (ACT)

About the Arts & Culture Trust

The Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) is an independent South African non-profit organisation. It began in 1994, shortly after the first democratic government took office. Nedcor Bank, Sun International and the Department of Arts and Culture were its founding trustees, and each put R1 million into an endowment fund. Nelson Mandela served as Patron-in-Chief during his presidency. Many people regard ACT as the oldest funding agency for the arts in the country.

Over the years, ACT has moved beyond simple grant-making. It now describes its role as a growth initiator in the creative economy. It works in all nine provinces and runs several programmes, including a research unit, a centre of excellence and a counselling service for creatives.

The ACT Nyoloha Scholarship Programme

The Nyoloha Scholarship Programme is the part of ACT that helps school leavers fund a first arts qualification. It supports young people in the performing, visual and digital arts. Nedbank, MTN South Africa and Sun International have backed the programme.

In the 2025 round, the award was worth up to R300,000 per winner. It covered registration fees, tuition and books or study materials, and the final amount depended on the chosen institution. It did not cover living costs.

The process is more than a one-off application. About 80 participants were accepted in 2025. They then took part in online mentorship with industry professionals every two weeks and received monthly ratings. Fifteen finalists went on to a final event in Johannesburg in October. In the end, two scholarships were awarded, one for each category.

What to know before applying

Recent calls required applicants to be South African, aged 17 to 25, and in Grade 12 or already holding matric with admission to study. You must not have studied arts at tertiary level or hold an arts qualification. Professional artists and recent participants are not eligible.

Visual and digital artists submit a portfolio. Performing artists send a short video of about two minutes in singing, acting or dance. Actors work from monologues that ACT supplies.

The call usually opens early in the year and closes between March and April. The exact dates, rules and the list of eligible institutions change, so read the current guidelines on the ACT website. Finally, take care with scams. ACT warns that fraudsters falsely claim links to the Trust, and it states that it never asks for banking details.

If you miss out on Nyoloha, you still have options. ACT runs other programmes, including Thuthukisani, Tlholo and the Warrior Wall, and each has its own purpose and rules. Read each description on the official site to see whether one suits you. In addition, ask your chosen college about other arts funding. A strong portfolio or audition video also helps with regular admission, so the effort you put in is never wasted.