15 Feb 2018

The British Council in partnership with Stimulus Africa and Thapong Visual Arts Centre is set to host a creative enterprise skills workshop (CES) from February 19-23 at Thapong Visual Arts Centre

Speaking in an interview, coordinator of Thapong Visual Arts Centre, Reginald Bakwena said the CES training, which is facilitated by Stimulus Africa was aimed at assisting start-up and early stage entrepreneurs within the creative sector to develop their business models as they worked towards building sustainable enterprises. 

“Stimulus Africa is an enterprise development organisation working in the SADC region with the aim of positively influencing approaches to enterprise development towards sustainability,” he said. Bakwena said this was achieved through the establishment of ecosystems enterprise provision of business essentials training and business development services, mentorship, access to; information, markets, finance and advocacy support.

“This partnership with Stimulus Africa and Thapong Visual Arts Centre to deliver this programme is a demonstration of British Council's investment into the creative industries and its support of the development of the creative economy across Africa,” continued Bakwena.

The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities and they do this by building connections and engendering trust, creating value and bringing benefits over the long term through partnerships. 

Bakwena also spoke of two aspiring artists from the US who are both students and would be assisting with the centre’s activities for the next four months.

“Andrew Zdechlik and Domanique Rahman will be with us for next four months,” he said.

On other activities slated for Thapong this month, Bakwena said there would also be an awareness seminar at Thapong Visual Arts Centre on February 17 .

“There will be presentations from other institution such as Copyright Society of Botswana to inform us on the kind of services they offer and how we can utilise their services. It is essential that artists attend,” he concluded. Ends