Project

The Network invites interested parties to apply to organise a conference on the arts, the creative sector and the African economy on the African continent.
Note: The conference will become an annual event, each year alternating between a Francophone and an Anglophone host country.

Problem statement

Given the general state of underdevelopment on the African continent, the arts are often marginalised by those in authority as these are deemed to be “luxury items” that have little economic, developmental, poverty alleviation or job creation roles.
While the ideal would be for the creative and cultural sectors to be supported on their own terms as human rights (as articulated in Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights), in the African context, it would serve the arts and cultural development if they could be shown to have a broader economic and developmental value.

Aims of Project

1. to provide artists, arts organisations, creative industries and others with the relevant information, data and analyses to argue for greater support and investment in the creative sector on the African continent
2. to contribute to ongoing networking at a regional and continental level
3. Participant target
4. at least 100 delegates drawn from around the continent
5. creative industries in Africa, academics, artists, networks and lobby groups, political decision-makers, media, etc

Recommended format of the Project

1. the conference should be a maximum of three days
2. it should combine international research and local African research and experts
3. there should be a balance between plenary sessions and small group discussions
4. sufficient time is to be allocated to networking opportunities, even at an informal level

Expected outcomes

1. a model of a conference programme on the African arts economy that could be developed further and repeated annually
2. conference reports with detailed data and papers that could empower African artists and groups with information and arguments that would appeal to those in power
3. at least 100 people better informed about the arts and their real and/or potential economic impact on the African continent

Tasks required of the Implementing Agency (the Applicant)

The successful applicant/s will be required to

1. design the content, structure and implementation of the conference/s to realise the aims listed above
2. undertake and successfully manage all the logistical arrangements including venue hire, accommodation, flights, internal transport, catering, etc
3. approach and contract speakers
4. assist the Arterial Network in recruiting participants, and liaise with each subsequently
5. manage all relationships with relevant partners
6. maintain sound records of all income and expenditure and provide a narrative and financial report on the project
7. produce the final conference report

Budget

The budget should include flights and accommodation for 100 delegates plus speakers and researchers, the management of the conference, venue and equipment hire, accommodation and catering for the participants and experts, project coordination fees, materials, local transport, auditing, etc. At least 20% of the budget should comprise income from conference fees.

Criteria

The criteria to be used when evaluating applicants will include:

a. the vision, content and structure of the conferences and the consistency of these with the project’s projected outcomes
b. the track record of the organisation with regard to managing projects generally and projects of this nature in particular
c. the recommendations of the referees and of Arterial Network members about the applicant
d. historical relationships between the applicant and associated donors i.e. to ensure that associated donors have at least not had poor experiences of the applicant
e. the proposed budget and whether it is consistent with the budget approved by the Task Team and donors.

The Arterial Network reserves the right to visit and interview project applicants, and further reserves the right not to appoint an implementing agency.

Time framework

The project should be implemented between 1 May and 30 November 2008.

Contract

The successful applicant/s will enter into a direct contracting relationship with a donor who will fund or manage the project on behalf of a variety of donors if necessary.

Applications

Applications are to be sent to The Secretariat, Arterial Network, c/o The Africa Centre, PO Box 137, Lynedoch, 7603, Stellenbosch, South Africa or to info@africacentre.net no later than 16 May 2008. Please ensure that the applications address the appropriate criteria in the notes below. Include two reference letters from credible sources, with the contact details of the referees.

NOTE:

DECISION-MAKING PROCESS FOR PROJECTS AND IMPLEMENTING AGENTS

Projects and project managers under the Arterial Network banner are decided upon in the following manner:
1. The Task Team, associated donor or Arterial Network member or partner proposes a project as an Arterial Network project.

2. The Task Team considers each proposal and decides
a. to approve the project as an Arterial Network project
b. to lend its support to the project but not for funding as an Arterial Network or
c. to reject the project (See criteria for evaluating projects under 7 below)

3. Projects (their aims, projected outcomes, country of implementation, budget, etc) approved by the Task Team are presented to the associated donor partners for consideration. Funders may agree to fund a project multilaterally or as a single donor. The Task Team may seek new donors or different donors for projects approved by the associated funders’ collective where necessary, and may seek new donors for projects that the associated funders’ collective is unable to support. The associated funders’ collective includes those funders who funded the original Arterial Network conference, or who joined this collective voluntarily as a partner in the Arterial Network or one of its projects. These funding partners include (but is not limited to) HIVOS, DCCD, Stromme Foundation, Prince Clause Fund, Doen, Africalia, Pro Helvetia and the Dept of Arts and Culture of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

4. As a matter of principle, all projects will be open for tender by implementing agencies. Once a project has been approved by the Task Team for funding and one
or more funders have expressed their commitment to cover the entire budget, the Task Team calls for agencies to implement the project. (Those projects that have been proposed to the Arterial Network by an implementing agency, and which is approved for funding, will generally be assigned to the implementing agency, provided that the funders and Task Team approve of its capacity to implement the project). The call for implementing agencies may be done in a variety of ways, including, but not limited to
a. via the Arterial Network D-Group, newsletter, website and associated contacts
b. via funders to their existing partners
c. the arts community and media in the country in which the project may be planned for implementation
d. pro-actively headhunting suitable implementing agencies to apply by anyone associated with the Arterial Network

5. The call will include an outline of the project, the aims, the projected outcomes, the target market, the tasks required of the implementing agency, the time frameworks, reporting responsibilities and the deadlines. Applicants are to respond to each of these reflecting their capacity to manage all aspects of the project, and in addition, need to provide an indication of their track record of financial and managerial probity. At least two referees from credible organisations or people should accompany the application.

6. After the deadline for submission of applications, the Secretariat will summarise the applications, and submit the summary along with copies of the application to the Project Evaluation Committee before a fixed deadline. The Committee will comprise members of the Task Team and representatives of the associated funders’ collective, particularly those directly involved in funding that project. Implementing agencies must be agreed by consensus (rather than majority vote) within the Project Evaluation Committee. In the event of there being no suitable applicant, the Project Evaluation Committee may headhunt and recommend a particular agency to implement the project, possibly in a different country or region to the one originally agreed upon.

7. The criteria to be used when evaluating applicants to manage projects will include:
a. the vision, content and structure that it will apply to the project and the consistency of these with the project’s projected outcomes
b. the track record of the organisation with record to managing projects generally and projects of this nature in particular
c. the recommendations of the referees (to be checked by the Secretariat) and of Arterial Network members
d. historical relationships between the applicant and associated donors i.e. to ensure that associated donors have at least not had poor experiences of the applications
e. the proposed budget and whether it is consistent with the budget approved by the Task Team and donors.
If necessary, the Project Evaluation Committee may require representative of the Arterial Network to interview and/or visit selected applicants to gain further insight into their capacity to deliver.

8. Based on the applications received, members of the Project Evaluation Committee rank the applicants and submit their rankings to the Secretariat before a fixed deadline, which are then distributed with related comments to all members of the Committee. Through discussion via email and/or telephone conferences, the Committee arrives at a decision by consensus to award the project (subject to further negotiation with the selected party if necessary) to a particular implementing agency.

9. The funders supporting the project will select one of their number (if more than one) to be the contracting party on their behalf, and this funder will enter into a direct contracting relationship with the approved project applicant, and will oversee the management and reporting of the project as it would any of its other projects.

10. Each stage of the application and decision-making process will be governed by a fixed deadline to ensure efficiency.