During February of this year, the Carl and Emily Fuchs Foundation (CEFF) in partnership with the Performing Arts Network of South Africa (PANSA) invited proposals for funding from organisations operating within the performing arts sector. The Foundation and PANSA were delighted with the response to the call for proposals.

The successful applicants who have been selected are:

The National Children's Theatre Trust (Life Skills Interactive Forum Theatre-in-Education Programme); The Orchestra Company (Teacher Capacity-building, Skills Training and Mentorship Programme); Creative Voices (Mentoring South African Educators in the Creative Arts) and Ballet Theatre Afrikan (Adopt-a-Dancer Project).

The Fuchs Foundation, one of the oldest and largest family foundations in South Africa, has funded numerous arts and cultural projects, educational initiatives as well as development and outreach projects over the past 35 years. At the beginning of 2006, the foundation launched its new national flagship project, entitled Promotion of Excellence that aims at developing and facilitating, enhancing and supporting excellence in a variety of fields. One focus area within this project relates to creating broad and equal access for all disciplines within the world of the performing arts.

PANSA is independent, national and democratic organisation acting in the collective interests of practitioners, technical workers, administrators, educators, companies and service providers within the performing arts sector.

The primary aim of the organisation is to ensure that there is a sustainable performing arts industry in South Africa, where those whose livelihoods depend on the performing arts can make a decent living, where the rights of performing artists are respected and where freedom of creative expression is protected. Its activities range from lobbying for the rights of musicians and obtaining funding for performing arts companies, to monthly arts administration workshops and public forums, as well as flagship projects like a national performing arts database, radio drama workshops and a play-reading festival to promote new South African theatre writing.