11 Jul 2013

The national art, basket and craft exhibition has shown growth in number and quality of work, says the Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture, Shaw Kgathi.

Kgathi said during the official opening of national art, basket and craft exhibition in Gaborone on July 10. The exhibition, he noted, had demonstrated steady growth over the years as evidenced by the increasing participation in numbers.

He noted that in 2012, competitions registered 438 participants, but this year, they stood at, an increase of 58 per cent. He highlighted that basketry and traditional wall decorations categories were the major contributors with 183 participants in 2012 and 480 in 2013.

He said government firmly believed that communities should derive economic benefits from their initiatives to preserve, promote culture and the arts.

Government, he said, made a firm decision in 2008 to instruct all its agencies including ministries and departments to purchase artworks from local producers as a way to expand their market base and increase economic gains from their trade.

He stated that arts represent a new engine of growth in the economy, create employment and generate income for artists to achieve a better economic status.

He further said local arts sector must therefore progress from artistic and cultural expression for recreation to creative industries.

Creative industries will not only attract domestic investment but are also expected to attract foreign investment through joint ventures as well, saying this will make a significant contribution to the diversification of the economy.

He said MYSC has developed an Arts and Craft strategy which is now being used as a guiding tool for the development of the arts and crafts in Botswana.

 As part of the strategy, capacity building initiatives continue to be undertaken across the country to capacitate artists on issues of copyright, proposal and report writing, pricing, marketing and management of products.

Kgathi urged Botswana Visual Artists Association (BOVAA) and Thapong Visual Arts Centre to continue to participate in the various training programme and further refine their entrepreneurial skills.

He pointed out that the results of some the initiatives are encouraging as some of the artists who have been working with the Department of Arts and Culture are beginning to show clear signs of progress.

One such example he said, was Ms Lenah Manyoro, an 84 year old leatherwork producer from Khawa in the Kgalagadi South, who through the programmes has now been able to build herself a house and a studio for craft production.

He explained that the programmes are having a positive impact on people’s lives and urged all the arts and culture practitioners to work hard to develop their enterprises as government remain steadfast and resolute in their belief in the economic benefits of the arts.

Furthermore, he cautioned art and craft producers against over exploitation of natural resources which may lead to the extinction of some species

The winners at the exhibition were Kgosi Seitshiro who took position one on Day of African child, photography was snatched by Teko Ralokwae on texture and form of a typical black man, drawing was scooped by Kedumetse Tshidiso, wood carving by Suze Mutero, beadwork was won by Beauty Mareetsane and traditional pottery by Mmatshonyana Ditshekiso among others. ENDS