No budget cuts for Arts and Culture were announced during the recent mini-budget, despite pressure to reign in government spending generally.
No budget cuts for Arts and Culture were announced during the recent mini-budget, despite pressure to reign in government spending generally.
This comes as the National Arts Festival tackles proposals to cut National Lottery funding allocations for the arts. Around 44% of the budgeted R3,5 billion had been spent in the first six months of the 2014/2015 budget, according to the spending estimates released with the 2014 Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS).
Spending increased by almost 15% in the first six months of the financial year compared to the same period in 2013/14, due mainly to the increased spending on Mzansi Golden Economy projects, new computers as well as software upgrades and increases in the Commonwealth Foundation membership fee due to the depreciation of the rand.
There was also an increase in the community library services grant for provinces.
Progress in upgrading community libraries in some provinces, including the Eastern Cape, has been slow because of delays in appointing service providers.
New libraries are due to be completed in the second half of the financial year. Patriots will be pleased to learn the department has almost fully met its annual target for the number of hand held flags distributed as at the end of September, owing to increased demand arising from the 20 Years of Freedom activities. Meanwhile, the Department of Trade and Industry is calling for public comment on regulations regarding National Lottery funding.
The DTI is suggesting that Arts, which currently gets 28% of Lottery funding, should receive 20%.
See the full story in the 31 October print edition: Makana Sharp Page 1.
The Department of Arts and Culture received a notable 27% increase in the National Budget announced by previous Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan on 26 February this year.
Funding for the Department increased from R2.8 billion last year to R3.5 billion for the 2014/15 financial year.
