PLEASE READ BEFORE SIGNING
SELECTION AND CONTRACTING
Submission does not guarantee selection and does not create an agreement, booking, fee, travel benefit, or other entitlement. Participation becomes binding only once the Festival issues written acceptance or a written agreement. The Festival may determine or reasonably amend the session format, moderator, venue, date, time, duration, and programme copy, and may combine or reframe proposals after consultation where reasonably practicable.
FEES, DOCUMENTATION AND PAYMENT
Any fee or support exists only if recorded in writing. All quoted amounts must disclose VAT and all related costs. The Festival will not collect banking details at application stage. Payment is conditional upon completed participation, and receipt of a correct invoice and all required tax, banking, and onboarding documents. Payment will be processed within 35 business days after the Festival or receipt of complete compliant documentation, whichever is later. The Festival may withhold genuinely disputed amounts and lawfully deduct agreed, or recoverable costs. International participants remain responsible for visas, tax and exchange implications unless otherwise agreed in writing.
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS AND CHANGES
Only technical, staging, hospitality, or venue requirements approved in writing are binding. Unauthorised purchases, hires, or commitments are for the applicant’s account. All material changes to the proposal, participants, content, duration, language, technical needs, or rights position must be disclosed promptly and require written Festival approval.
MARKETING OBLIGATION
If accepted, participants must actively market their appearance from acceptance until the final session: at least one substantive post per month until tickets open; at least one post per week from ticket launch until eight weeks before the Festival; at least two posts plus two Stories per week from eight to four weeks out; at least three substantive posts per week plus Stories on five days per week during the final four weeks; and daily promotional activity during Festival week. Posts must use correct links and tags, provide meaningful original promotion, and cross-post relevant official assets. Participants must cooperate reasonably with interviews and media, and supply requested approved copy, a teaser where appropriate, and at least five suitable high-resolution images by stated deadlines. Material, unremedied non-compliance may result in reduced promotional support, programme removal where justified, recovery of proven contractually recoverable costs, delayed settlement while documentation or a dispute remains unresolved, and consideration in future selection.
BOOK SALES
Bargain Books is the Festival’s exclusive official bookseller. No direct, private, or alternative book sales may take place without prior written Festival approval. Stock, pricing, delivery, sales, and returns must follow the approved process.
RIGHTS, RECORDING AND AI DISCLOSURE
The applicant warrants that all necessary authority, permissions, and licences exist for submitted text, images, covers, biographies, readings, extracts, audio, video, and third-party material, and indemnifies the Festival against claims arising from a breach of that warranty. Intellectual property remains with its owner. The applicant grants the Festival a non-exclusive, royalty-free right to use approved submitted names, biographies, covers, headshots, extracts, and promotional assets to assess, administer, advertise, publicise, document, and archive the Festival through print, press, website, social media, and authorised partner channels. Full or substantive recording or broadcast requires a separate written agreement; incidental event photography / video, and short promotional excerpts are permitted. Any material use of generative AI in a submitted book, text, image, biography, artwork, or promotional asset must be disclosed, with confirmation that its use does not infringe third-party rights.
CONDUCT, SAFETY AND DISCLOSURE
Participants must comply with applicable law, Festival, venue and UFS rules, health and safety requirements, and reasonable instructions. Hate speech, harassment, discrimination, dangerous conduct, performance-impairing intoxication, and serious professional misconduct are prohibited. The Festival may intervene, remove a participant, or cancel a session for material breach or safety risk after appropriate assessment. Applicants must disclose conflicts, sponsor, or exclusivity restrictions, and material legal or reputational risks relevant to delivery.
CANCELLATION AND FORCE MAJEURE
A participant cancellation must be communicated immediately in writing. The participant may be liable for proven non-refundable costs caused by cancellation, non-performance, or material breach, except where accepted force majeure applies. The Festival may reschedule, relocate, change format, or cancel for safety, venue, operational, funding, programme, or force-majeure reasons, consulting where reasonably practicable. Neither party is liable for failure caused by circumstances beyond reasonable control, but accrued obligations survive. No party may claim indirect or consequential loss.
POPIA AND PRIVACY
Personal information will be used for assessment, contracting, administration, safety, communication, selected-participant payment onboarding, programme publication, publicity, and lawful recordkeeping. It may be shared only with authorised Festival personnel, the programming committee, relevant service providers, venues / UFS, and partners, or funders where reasonably necessary and legally permitted. Private administrative data will not be treated as public promotional information. Information will be protected and retained according to legal and operational requirements. Privacy queries may be sent to Mia Kahts at mia@vrystaatkunstefees.co.za.
By confirming the declarations below and signing electronically, the applicant confirms that these terms have been read, understood, and accepted.