03 Aug 2026

Art should no longer be viewed as a hobby, but a scalable enterprise capable of driving sustainable creative industries to combat youth unemployment.

As such, artists have been urged to tap into National Funding Programmes such as the Youth Development Fund (YDF) alongside other capacity-building grants.This was the core message as the Tlokweng District Council, in partnership with the Ministry of Sport and Arts, hosted a meet and greet session at the Tlokweng Recreational Centre recently.

Held under the theme: Sentlwana: Connecting Tlokweng Creatives, Building a Strong and Vibrant Arts Community, the event was designed to foster cross-collaboration and strategic partnerships and empower artists to jointly bid for major national tenders.

The session brought together key players, including the National Arts Council of Botswana (NACB), which continues to strengthen national ties through initiatives like the National Arts Festival and the National Artist Registration Exercise. Presenting stakeholders shared tangible evidence of their products and services aimed at uplifting the creative sector.

Addressing attendees, Tlokweng District Council chairperson, Ontiretse Bogatsu, emphasised the power of synergy and cautioned creatives against working in isolation.“I urge them to actively participate in the upcoming Botswana’s 60th Independence celebrations, which aim to showcase national unity, pride and shared heritage through inclusive public events,” Bogatsu noted. She added that the diamond jubilee festivities were structured to engage communities nationwide in commemorative activities that fostered social cohesion and collective ownership of the independence legacy.

“Tlokweng is not just a neighbour to the capital city Gaborone, but also a proud, standalone and self-sufficient ‘One Village District’ with a deeply rooted Batlokwa identity,” she said, noting that to ensure inclusivity, the council must prioritise opportunities for creators.

Addressing regional hurdles, Bogatsu highlighted that the district faced structural challenges, including council deficits and land allocation constraints. 

To that effect, she said the council was in the process of leasing out open public spaces, including parks and recreational areas, to support local initiatives. She reaffirmed the council’s commitment to providing infrastructural support and building self-sustaining local creative economy rooted in civic duty, collaboration and partnership.

Elaborating on the ministry’s mandate, Tlokweng acting district coordinator, Sophie Mashiakgomo, shared that hosting meet-and-greet workshops to promote collaboration was central to their work. In preparing for the upcoming independence celebrations, she stressed the importance of consulting stakeholders. ENDS