The Lockdown Collection (TLC) Bursary 2027: How to Apply

Key facts

Status: No current round published Last closed 31 July 2021
Provider: Lockdown Collection (TLC)
Academic year: 2022
Last checked: September 2026

The last confirmed bursary round was for the 2022 academic year and closed on 31 July 2021.

Reviewed & verified by Naledi KhumaloSenior Admissions and Bursaries EditorVerified

The Lockdown Collection (TLC) started in 2020 as a creative response to the Covid-19 lockdown. South African artists, including William Kentridge, donated limited-edition works that were sold to raise money for artists and art students hit by the pandemic. Part of that money funded a visual arts bursary, run with Artist Proof Studio and the Visual Arts Network of South Africa (VANSA).

About The Lockdown Collection Bursary

The bursary paid R12 000 per student towards fees for a visual arts qualification. It was open to students at universities, art colleges and recognised community arts programmes, and selection weighed both financial need and the quality of the applicant’s portfolio.

TLC Bursary eligibility requirements

South African citizen, or a foreign national currently studying in South Africa.
Enrolled, or accepted, for a visual arts qualification at a recognised institution or community arts programme.
Able to demonstrate financial need.
Able to submit a portfolio of recent work and a reference from an educator.

TLC Bursary application process

Applications were accepted online only, through a Google form, with the following uploads, each file labelled with the applicant’s name and the document type:

Copy of your ID or passport.
A professional headshot photograph.
Latest academic results on the institution’s letterhead.
Proof of registration or acceptance on letterhead.
Three images of your best work.
Proof of fees owed, on letterhead.
A reference letter from an educator, with their contact details.
Banking details and three months of personal bank statements.

TLC Bursary closing date

The last closing date was 31 July 2021. There is no 2027 closing date. If a new round is announced on thelockdowncollection.com we will update this page.

Contact details

The Lockdown Collection can be reached through the contact form at thelockdowncollection.com/contact-us. Please only use it for a bursary round that is currently open.

Funding for visual arts students in 2027

Visual arts bursaries are scarce, so apply widely. NSFAS funds fine art and design degrees at public universities for students from households earning under R350 000. Artist Proof Studio in Johannesburg offers its own funded places, and VANSA circulates opportunities to its members. See our fine art and visual art bursaries list and the wider arts bursaries section for programmes that are currently open.

FAQs

1. Is the TLC bursary open for 2027? +

No new cycle has been advertised. The last confirmed round was for 2022 studies and closed on 31 July 2021. The Lockdown Collection was created as a once-off fundraising project during the 2020 lockdown, so the bursary may not return. Check thelockdowncollection.com before relying on it.

2. Who could apply? +

South African citizens, and foreign nationals studying in South Africa, enrolled for a visual arts qualification at a university, college or community arts programme, who could show financial need.

3. How much was the award? +

R12 000 per student, paid towards fees at the institution.

4. How were applications made? +

Through an online form only. Applicants uploaded an ID, a headshot, academic results and proof of registration on institutional letterhead, three images of their work, a fee statement, a reference letter from an educator, banking details and three months of bank statements.

5. Who ran the bursary? +

The Lockdown Collection in partnership with Artist Proof Studio and the Visual Arts Network of South Africa (VANSA), funded by artwork editions donated by artists including William Kentridge.

6. Where can visual arts students look instead? +

Artist Proof Studio and VANSA both circulate arts bursaries, and NSFAS funds fine art degrees at public universities. See our arts bursaries page.

Update note (checked September 2026): the last confirmed bursary round was for the 2022 academic year and closed on 31 July 2021. No later cycle has been advertised, and the collection’s own site asks students not to contact TLC about a closed bursary. Because the project was tied to a once-off fundraising drive, there is no guarantee it will return. The details below are from the last round.

Student funding in numbers

2025811 011students funded by NSFAS580 000 at universities, 231 000 at TVET colleges, on a budget of R48.7 billion.

20261 026 091students approved for NSFAS funding609 403 first-year applicants qualified and 416 688 continuing students met the progression criteria, out of 893 847 applications.

2027 projectedR53.4bnbudgeted for NSFASThe allocation rises from R48.7 billion in 2025 to R51 billion in 2026 and R53.4 billion in 2027. Student numbers for 2027 are not published yet.

Figures from the Minister of Higher Education’s Budget Vote of 3 July 2025 and the NSFAS statement of 2 January 2026. NSFAS is the largest funder, not the only one – we track the rest.