30 Jul 2014

Coordinator of Diamond Trading Centre (DTC)  Thapong Visual Arts Centre says the new look centre is a welcome development to the creative industry and will go a long way in contributing significantly to the arts.

Speaking in an interview ahead of the official opening of the centre, Reginald Bakwena said the revamped centre was an overdue development and had re-enforced President Lt Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama’s directive of 2008 on the creative industry.

The official opening of the centre would be on August 7. He said the refurbishment of the art gallery, construction of the studios and café started sometime last year and it was good that everything had been completed.

“Government supported us with close to P2.2 million, Diamond Trading Centre (DTC) Botswana with a little over P700 000, First National Bank Foundation with P250 000, DeBeers with P75 000,” he said adding that Plascon and Collegium Publishers donated paints and office furniture in kind respectively.

Mr Bakwena said the centre would act as an incubator for artists and also as an interaction for art lovers and artists.

He indicated that the role of government in the creative industry was a welcome development. “Even the corporates have been playing a part and helping out where possible,” he said. “Artists have already occupied the studios and are busy doing what they are good at,” he said.

He indicated that people had already shown excitement with the revamped visual art gallery. “We have so far held a couple of art exhibitions at the gallery and people are very impressed with our new look,” he said.

Bakwena said the centre would inspire and encourage artists to produce quality art pieces.

Speaking on the members only art exhibition that would be held at the centre immediately after the official opening, Bakwena said the exhibition would run for approximately three weeks.

He indicated that the deadline for submissions of art pieces was August 1st and the art exhibition was for members of Thapong only.  ENDS