Music Bursaries in South Africa

Bursaries for Music students in South Africa 2023: Are you looking for Music bursaries in South Africa 2023? In this article, I will provide you with details on the various available bursaries for Music students in South Africa 2023, how to submit your application online and other related information.

Application is currently open for Music bursaries in South Africa 2023. The ARTS career field is one in which your success is strongly determined by your passion and drive. The salary ranges in this job sector are very vast – with the right skills, ambition and opportunities, you could go from being a “starving artist” to a world famous artist. If you love what you do (most people in the arts sector do), then success is sure to follow.

Whether you dream of pursuing a career in visual arts (painting, drawing, photography, film making, video making, design, sculpture, ceramics and crafts) or performing arts (dance, drama and singing), passion is ultimately the key to your success.

In order to qualify for a bursary within the ARTS sector, you will generally have to submit or perform a piece of your “art work”, depending on whether you are in the visual or performing arts sector. You will also be required to have a certain level of academic results.

While creativity cannot be taught, your skills and talents can be fine-tuned with the help of a tertiary qualification. If you are in need of tertiary funding, these bursary opportunities could be very helpful. If the stage is your office, then these are the bursary listings for you.

List of Arts bursaries, scholarship and funding opportunities in South Africa for 2022 & 2023 studies – scroll down to find your field of study:

  • Dance
  • Drama and Theatre
  • Fashion and Textile
  • Film and Motion Picture
  • Fine Art and Visual Art
  • Jewellery Design
  • Performing Art
  • Music

Dance Bursaries in South Africa 2023

Dance is a disciplined art form whereby a dancer moves their body in a rhythmic way within a space and to music. The purpose of Dance is to express an idea or emotion through art, and release energy or simply enjoying the movement. Dance benefits society on a grand scale as it is significant both commercially and culturally.

Many dancing colleges, schools, and studies play a major role in creating employment opportunities for local dancers. Dancing is also important to society as it creates social and cultural improvements to the communities and its people, and it is performed in and sometimes, bases its subject matter on. Both social and cultural interaction is enhanced through dance and communities are provided with a feeling of happiness and togetherness.

To become a professional Dancer, you would need to obtain a Degree in Performing Arts and/ or attend a dance school where you will be examined as a professional. You can also attend any of South Africa’s Dance associations and complete an Associate dance teacher’s degree in your preferred style of dance.

Some career opportunities for a professional dancer are a Choreographer, Choreologist, Dance Master, Dance Teacher, Dance Historian, and Dancer. If you are looking for bursaries or funding for the Dance sector, here are some options for you:

  • Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) Scholarship
  • Bridgestone Bursary
  • Canon Collins Tom Queba Scholarship
  • FAME Academy SA Bursaries
  • National Arts Council of South Africa (NAC) Bursaries
  • NYDA Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship Fund

Drama & Theatre Bursaries in South Africa 2023

Drama and Theatre, although synonymous with each other, are actually different. Drama refers to scripts and is a part of theatre that illustrates an event or situation by the means of acting or performance. Drama also refers to an event or episode that stirred up emotion or conflict- i.e. the emotions of a performer who is acting.

Theatre refers to the actual entirety of the play/ production and not JUST the script. Whilst Drama may only require the actors, theatre requires the works of the script, stage, actors, sound effects, lighting, costumes, audience, and more. With that, theatre requires more people such as stagehands, sound engineers, directors, and ushers to ensure the success of the production.

Drama and theatre are essential to society, as it not only creates many job opportunities and is a source of entertainment, but also promotes social discussion and potential societal change. Theatre challenges society to look at its own actions as well as help it find solutions.

To get a career in theatre, it is advisable that you study a Bachelor of Performing Arts or a Bachelor in Theatre and Performance. With this qualification, potential career avenues you could venture into are Choreography, Directing, becoming a critic, Performing, becoming a designer, a Production Arts Manager, Theatre-Maker, Teacher, a Writer, and Theorist.

If you are looking for bursaries or funding for the Drama and Theatre sector, here are some options for you:

  • Absa Fellowship/ Scholarship Programme
  • Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) Scholarship
  • Bridgestone Bursary
  • Canon Collins Thekgo Bursary
  • Canon Collins Tom Queba Scholarship
  • FAME Academy SA Bursaries
  • National Arts Council of South Africa (NAC) Bursaries
  • Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital Bursary
  • NYDA Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship Fund

Fashion & Textile Bursaries in South Africa 2023

Fashion and Textile design refer to creating a sophisticated and polished finished product and appearance- this can refer to clothing or interior design. Textile design refers to using various processes and techniques to create digital, constructed, and mixed media textiles. Textile refers to creating designs and then printing them onto various fabrics which can later be used in fashion and design. Fashion and textile are essential to society as textiles help make spaces feel more homely, welcoming, and professional as well as inviting to guests.

Fashion helps the economy grow and is the second-largest worldwide economic activity for trade; it also can be a means for artists and designers to tell a story through their designs. The fashion and textile industry is also responsible for employing over 57 million workers in developing countries of which 80% are women.

Qualifications you could obtain in fashion and design are a Bachelor of Technology in Fashion, Bachelor of Science in Textile Science, Diplomas in Textile Technology, a Diploma in Clothing Management, and an Advanced and Post Graduate Diploma in Apparel Technology. With these qualifications, potential career avenues in the Fashion and Textile industries are a Clothing Technologist, Fashion Designer, Colour Technologist, and Textile Designer.

If you are looking for bursaries or funding for the Fashion and Textile sector, here are some options for you:

  • Bridgestone Bursary
  • Canon Collins Tom Queba Scholarship
  • Cape Wools SA Bursary Fund
  • FEDISA Fashion School Bursary
  • Gert-Johan Coetzee Bursary
  • Inscape Scholarship
  • NYDA Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship Fund
  • The Foschini Group Bursary
  • Truworths Bursary
  • W&RSETA Bursary

Film & Motion Picture Bursaries in South Africa 2023

Film and motion picture (cinema movies) is a medium that conveys drama on a screen through a series of still photographs on film. Film is responsible for not only telling the narrative of the dramatic story but also evoking emotion in their audience. Motion picture is an art that requires a broad contribution from many other art forms and technical skills, such as editors, sound engineers, recording, optics, and more.

Film and motion pictures are essential to society as it combines many elements to elicit deep feelings within us and reflect on society and our lives as individuals. Films can teach us about our history, give us hopes and ideas for the future, inspire us, evoke change, motivate us, and make us question the world- thus elicit thinking.

Some qualifications one could obtain in film are a Bachelors Degree in Arts and Motion Pictures, Diplomas in Film Production, Diplomas in Sound Engineering, Higher Certificate in Film, Television, and Entertainment Production, Diplomas in Motion Picture Production, and more. Film and Motion Picture requires many individuals to make the ‘movie magic’ As such, some careers avenues in Film and Motion Picture are becoming a Director, Producer, Writer, Cinematographer, Gaffer, Grip, Composer, Production Assistant, Showrunner, Production Co-ordinator, Choreographer, Actor, and more.

If you prefer a spot behind the camera instead of in front of the camera, maybe you should consider a career within the film or motion picture industry.
Motion picture producers may start their career as a screenwriter, actor or business manager before expanding their skills to film production.

If you are looking for bursaries or funding for the Film and Motion Picture sector, here are some options for you:

  • Absa Fellowship/ Scholarship Programme
  • Bridgestone Bursary
  • Canon Collins Thekgo Bursary
  • Canon Collins Tom Queba Scholarship
  • Film School Africa (FSA) Bursary
  • Gauteng Film Commission (GFC) Bursary
  • KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission Bursary
  • KwaZulu-Natal Government Bursaries
  • Mpumalanga Provincial Government Bursary
  • Netflix Scholarship
  • NFVF Bursary
  • North West Provincial Government Bursaries
  • NYDA Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship Fund

Music Bursaries in South Africa 2023

Music is arguably the most popular art form in the world as everyone listens to some genre of Music. Music is a form of expression for Musicians who tell a story through their vocals or instrument playing. Music has also been used in cultures for thousands of years, from indigenous people dancing near fires to modern-day DJ’s- music is a form of expression that can evoke powerful emotion. As such, music is essential to society and people as it can highly impact our moods and well-being. Music allows people to feel almost all the emotions we experience in life and a society without music could arguably be one without much emotion. Musicians are responsible for composing, writing, playing, and/or singing music in a variety of different styles for their audience.

Qualifications in Music you could obtain are Diplomas in Sound Engineering, a Bachelors of Music, Bachelors of Performing Arts, as well as partake in courses, classes, and coaching to help you further develop your skills.

There are many job opportunities within music, some are a Music Therapist, Music Producer, Teacher, Musician, Sound Designer/ Engineer, Special Effects Technician, and Sound Technician for film, broadcasting, and video.

If you are looking for Music Bursaries in South Africa 2023, here are some options for you:

  • Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) Scholarship
  • Boston Media House and YFM Scholarship
  • Bridgestone Bursary
  • Canon Collins Thekgo Bursary
  • Canon Collins Tom Queba Scholarship
  • FAME Academy SA Bursaries
  • Fine Music Radio (FMR) Bursary
  • National Arts Council of South Africa (NAC) Bursaries
  • NESP Scholarship
  • NYDA Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship Fund
  • Revolution Media Academy Bursary
  • SAMRO Bursary
  • SASMT Bursaries
  • SASMT Teacher Bursary
  • Wakkerstroom Music Festival Bursary Competition