27 Nov 2017

Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development says Thapong Artist of the Year Awards (TAYA) and Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC) Phonebook Cover competition both seek to discover, recognise and acknowledge new ideas, skills and talent of individual artists in Botswana.

Officially opening the 13th TAYA and BTC Phonebook competition, Thapelo Olopeng said this year’s awards had collaborated with BTC not only to recognise professional artists but to also create an opportunity for artists from schools to showcase their talent.

“I am therefore glad to note that while TAYA focuses on recognising maturity and professionalism of the artists, the BTC Phonebook Cover competition on the other hand seeks to nurture and develop art talent in schools at early stages,” he said.

He indicated that his ministry’s greatest task was to commercialise the arts and ensure that artists enjoy maximum exposure.

Olopeng further said they were grateful for the efforts of organisations such as Thapong Arts Centre, which houses artists and facilitates their participation in local and international competitions as well as expos to create networks for marketing opportunities.

“Through the culture and heritage programme, we have undertaken a number of programmes, which include the President’s Day competitions, Arts and Craft exhibitions, Public Arts projects as well as different forums with arts and culture practitioners,” he said, adding that all these sought to showcase diversity and uniqueness of our cultures as a nation.

He said that also helped artists to realise their full potential and contributed towards the economy and economic diversification.

Olopeng said it was his hope that winners of the Phonebook Cover competition 2018 would be mentored to graduate into professional artists.

“As a country, we have to be innovative in order for Botswana to participate in the international arts exhibitions. It is very important to give Botswana art an international platform and my ministry aims to support such initiatives,” said Olopeng.

He stated that his ministry was a signatory to a number of Memorandum of Understanding  and cultural agreements with different countries.

Over the years, he said they had sponsored various visual artists to participate in festivals, fairs, expos, exhibitions and residences in South Africa, Kenya, Israel, Tanzania and Zimbabwe in order to improve their artistic skills and talents.

“We see Thapong as a valuable development partner in the creative arts sector and in diversifying the economy of the country. The arts sector is critical to the good functioning of any economy,” he said.

The minister said it had always been government’s policy to provide a platform in which institutions such as Thapong could grow and thrive so that they could relief government the burden of providing certain functions and services to artists.

“Already, my ministry has spent P2.2million to build studios in Thapong and this year, we spent about P4 million on visual arts. This amount had been used to purchase artwork, baskets and on prize money for artists during the President’s Day competitions and awards,” he said.

He thanked sponsors such as BTC and other partners for supporting the industry.

For his part, BTC Foundation chairperson, Michael Mothobi said the phonebook cover competition and TAYA gave them an opportunity to contribute in some measure to the growth of arts industry and culture in Botswana.

“Through our continued partnership with Thapong, we hope to nurture and encourage artistically gifted citizenry to pursue their dreams in support of the ministry’s’ mandate to develop skills and create employment especially among the youth,” he said.

At the BTC Foundation, he said arts was one of their focus areas.

“We are sponsoring the phonebook cover competition and TAYA to the tune of over P300 000, an increase of about 30 per cent to last year’s sponsorship,” he said.  

Meanwhile, Obed Mokhuhlani was crowned TAYA’s overall winner and pocketed P45 000, with P15 000 reserved for him to go to Namibia on an art exchange programme.

Second position went to Prika Makosha, who won P20 000, while Tumelo Galetshwarane won Best Craft, which attracted a prize of P6 000.

Sade Rabasha was named Young Artist of the Year and scooped P12 000.

Phemelo Ramasu and Omphile Ntakhwana were named first and second Best Journalits in reporting on arts issues winning P5 500 and P5 000 respectively.

Soft Montshiwa got first position in the BTC Phonebook Cover competition and won P40 000.

Atang Nkwankweu got position two and P30 000 while Henry Marokane settled for third position and P10 000. ENDS