07 Jun 2015

Some residents of Kanye have embarked on an initiative through the flea market and art exhibition to improve skills of local entrepreneurs and want to turn the village into an arts centre.

Speaking in an interview with BOPA at the weeklong on-going flea market and art exhibition on Sunday, June 7, the project coordinator, Pearl Baitemi, said in order to enhance art at schools they invited all secondary schools in Kanye to exhibit their visual arts and craft at The Savanna Lodge’s conference room for free.

She said the aim of the initiative is to motivate students to take art seriously so that they make it a source of income in the future. She said her team seeks to expose, nurture and catapult art talent to meet the international standard, noting that they want to encourage art as a career.

She went on to say her team chose secondary schools because they were targeting a level that had a bit of background in arts unlike at primary sch ools where the talent is still very raw. She however explained that they are not ignoring primary schools and that their input will come in the future.

She said it is imperative for the nation to embrace the initiative because arts can benefit the country in different ways as it can be taken as a career and a hobby at the same time.

She emphasized that a hobby keeps children away from unbecoming behaviour and other social ills and added that as a diversification dream to be realised art has the potential to reduce our dependency on diamonds. 

She continued to say it is critical for the nation to balance the financial benefits of art and appreciate its beauty.

The Managing Director of The Savanna Lodge, Mrs Pelotshweu Makole, said she sponsors youngsters by offering them the venue as way of supporting them.

She said that she is passionate about seeing the youth grow in the good things that they do adding that she believes the lodge as a point of destination is strategically located for exhibitors’ growth. Her clients could while away time by viewing pieces of art.

Furthermore she explained that the value of exhibited fine arts ranges between P1 500 and P4 000 noting that if the material sells properly it can put bread on the table.

‘’The lodge collaborates with artists who are well versed with fine arts and craft and have a wealth of experience in the industry which they use to impart skills and knowledge to the aspirants,’’she continued.

For his part, Mpho Keoepile, one of the project organizers, said their intention is to host such events at the end of every month and come up with new themes for each event. He said they want to turn Kanye into an arts centre and make it a national event.

He, further, implored artists to come and display their items for their own benefit, noting that women who exhibit pottery should be accredited at the Botswana Qualifications Authority (BQA) the former BOTA. The next edition of the open flea market and art exhibition wiill be on June 27 to July 5. ENDS