Lechwe Trust Grant Application Guidelines

Aims of Lechwe Trust

The aims and objectives of Lechwe Trust are to promote and encourage the visual arts in Zambia and provide assistance and encouragement to Zambian artists to further their artistic knowledge and education.

Priority Areas

Lechwe Trust distinctively gives priority to applications and initiatives reflecting Lechwe Trust’s objectives and core areas of interest in promoting the visual artistic development of Zambian artists, specifically individuals, groups, institutions of learning and companies with emphasis on participation at local art centres, colleges and universities.

Current and past activities focus on the following areas:

provision of grants and educational scholarships in Zambia and abroad for talented Zambian artists
provision of artistic advice and financial support options and support to individuals, groups and museums working towards the promotion of the visual arts including: painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, contemporary and traditional crafts in Zambia
provision of financial support to attend or participate in approved visual arts training programmes at lower and advanced levels locally and internationally
the preservation and display of the material culture of Zambia
promotion and co-financing of visual art exhibitions and workshops in Zambia and within the SADC region.

1. Scope of Grants

Lechwe Trust offers a limited number of small grants for specific art related project proposals and art related activities that closely align with LT priorities in the following areas.

visual artistic training
art teacher training at Diploma level
fine art training at Degree levels
art workshop participation locally and abroad in exceptional circumstances
higher education in art training
hosting exhibitions in local venues
art restoration and preservation of material culture

2. Who Can Apply

Candidates with acceptance or offer letter to study for visual artistic training at lower and advanced levels locally and internationally
Up-coming and established artists with proof of invitation to attend local or international workshops and can prove that they will be able to provide the additional funds
Visual artistic centres, groups and visual artists who intend to carry out local visual artistic activities, e.g. workshops and lectures to artists, and have proof that they can provide additional funds for their presentation
Students pursuing an art teacher diploma
Students applying for university programmes in art related subjects
Established artists for further studies regionally
Established artists for local and international workshops
Artists showing potential for exhibition assistance locally

3. Grant Type and Size

Grant amounts are needs-based and will typically be partial amounts of an application. Funding is contingent upon the applicant raising required matching funds. Applicants are encouraged to find ways to raise some of the funds through their own efforts.

For grants under $500 the applicant must provide 10% of the total amount of the funds. For grants over $500 the applicant must provide 20% of the total amount of the funds.

4. Criteria for Review of Grant Applications

There are different terms and requirements for applications based on the nature of activities for which the grant is required.

4a. Student/Individual Grant Applicants:

Applicants should provide a covering letter including details demonstrating:
how the activity will improve their own artistic development
how the activity will contribute to the enhancement of art in Zambia
the applicant’s own contribution to the proposed activities
the potential or ability to access or raise additional funding from other sources
how the grant will be allocated and utilised to support the specified activities

4b. Arts and culture organisations, cooperatives, collaborating partners, associations

Letter of intent (LOI) demonstrating how the activity will contribute to the enhancement of art in Zambia or benefit the community
describe the timeline and implementation plan
demonstrate organisational and general administrative competence, clear mandate including an ability to manage funds and account for them in a transparent manner
indicate the potential to secure additional funds

5. Ineligible Requests

Lechwe Trust will not support the following:

travel visas
computers, cameras, books
meals, accommodation, medical bills
printing, photocopying
projects which do not have arts or culture as a core element
new building projects
operating or capital support
activities that occur prior to approval of the grant

6. Funding Cycle and Application Period

Applications are evaluated annually in two cycles:

Cycle 1:

Closing date for applications: 25^th March

Result available: 25^th April

Cycle 2:

Closing date for applications: 30^th September

Result available: 30^th October

Incomplete or late applications or multiple requests will not be considered. Late applicants are required to reapply for consideration during the subsequent funding cycles.

These guidelines and priorities may change in future.

7. How to Apply

Interested applicants should send their applications using the grant application guidelines (see below):

by hand to Lechwe Trust Office, Room 11, Ndeke Hotel, Longacres, Lusaka
by email to [email protected]
by post to Lechwe Trust, P O Box 320236, Woodlands, Lusaka

8. Grant Application Guidelines

8a Contact information

Full names
Physical Address
Postal address
Telephone / cell number
Email address
Website address (if any)

8b Proposal information

Nature of and purpose of the activity
Place/Location of activity
Duration of activity
How the activity will benefit the applicant
How the activity will benefit the Zambian art environment
Financial need/Total cost of activity, quoted in local currency (ZMW)
Amount requested from Lechwe Trust, and a breakdown of those costs (ZMW)
How you intend to raise any additional funding, state source of funding, when funding is expected, evidence of commitment of funding sources

8c Attachments / Enclosures

Copy of offer or acceptance letter from the organisation (as applicable)
One-page CV
One-page artist statement explaining your interest in the field of Visual Arts
Names and current contact details of three referees to be contacted directly by Lechwe Trust. If a student, at least one of these should be your current or recent art instructor/professor. Fellow students, friends, or family members are not acceptable referees.
Portfolio exhibiting completed works created within the last one year to demonstrate artistic ability, For example: two or three (2-3) or in the case of paintings not less than 10 and not more than 12 electronic images in high resolution .jpg digital format. The images to be no larger than 1680 x 1050 pixels. The .jpg images may be emailed, or delivered to the Lechwe Trust offices on a CD and may include photographs.

9. Evaluation

All scholarship applications are screened to ensure the basic eligibility criteria for the scholarships selected have been met. Applications that meet the criteria for Lechwe Trust scholarships will be assessed and shortlisted once the application deadline has elapsed. Applicants will be notified of the decision by email or SMS and letter.

Lechwe Trust reserves the right to award only a certain number of grants per cycle.