The grants are given out through The Creativity Pioneers Fund, which will provide more than $1.5m over the next five years. The fund awarded grants to organisations spanning 18 countries this year.
One-third of the organisations are led by women; 80% are less than ten years old with a staff size that is, on average, well below ten people and an annual budget under $100,000. Over 30% of the 2022 grantees are clustered in Africa, representing countries including South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Egypt, and Cameroon.
The three grantees from South Africa include Bridges for Music, Free Film Collective, and Sunshine Cinema.
As a non-profit organisation, Bridges for Music empowers young people in under-served communities to become creative change-makers, while providing 21st-century tools and equipping them with the psychosocial skills they need to succeed.
Free Film Collective is an alternative, free education project by and for African filmmakers, and Sunshine Cinema is Africa’s first solar-powered cinema network running mobile pop-up cinemas across rural Southern Africa that spark dialogue, educate, and inspire communities to action.
Alison James, executive director of the Bic Corporate Foundation, outlined the fund’s ambition to build a supportive ecosystem that delivers tremendous value to the pioneers in addition to the initial microgrants.
“We aim to build a community of changemakers that are supported by a global network of peers, thought leaders, experts, and social impact professionals. This ecosystem of support is what differentiates the Creativity Pioneers Fund from traditional philanthropic funding sources,” said James.
Adama Sanneh, CEO of Moleskine Foundation, said: “We are encouraging local organisations that are using creativity to address big challenges in their communities. We know that creatives are the ultimate agents of change – they will save the world. These are the underdogs in the world of philanthropy – and we want them to know that we’re in their corner.
"Most creative people got to where they are because of a stroke of luck. Maybe they had a relative who mentored them, or they were born into a community with a well-funded school system. Our goal is to liberate creativity from the privileged because we know that creative problem-solving is critical to building healthy and resilient communities.”
