Concerts SA was cofounded by Samro and the Royal Norwegian Embassy in 2013 to support live-music touring across the southern African region.
In 2020, the pandemic had a significant impact on musicians’ ability to earn an income. Alternative sources of income needed to be explored - and Concerts SA’s research into digital live streaming initiatives in 2020 sought to provide a sense of the current live streaming landscape in the country. The research culminated in the release of the first Concerts SA Digital Mobility Fund in 2020.
“In 2021, hundreds of musicians benefitted from Concerts SA's micro-grants, which helped keep momentum through the debilitating impact of Covid-19 on the live music industry,” said Samro CEO Mark Rosin. “Samro is proud of Concerts SA's continuing effort to stimulate and grow the live music circuit in southern Africa and is looking forward to their contribution to a vibrant and musical 2022.”
Of those who applied for Digital Mobility Fund 2022 rollout, 100 of the 419 high-quality proposals were selected to receive support. Applicants hailed from all parts of South Africa and formed a rich kaleidoscope of cultures, traditions, genres, idioms and origins. The adjudication process was extremely challenging since a limited number of applications could be approved.
The full list of projects selected for the Digital Mobility Fund can be found on the Concerts SA website and include both established and emerging professional artists, across genres.
