22 Oct 2026

The National Arts Council of Botswana (NAC) has unveiled plans to establish a creative industry fund and an investment arm to support sustainable growth in the sector.

Speaking at the opening of the fifth Bantu Film Festival 2026, NAC chief executive officer, Gaokgakala Lemmenyane said the initiatives would address funding gaps, develop creative infrastructure and ensure that resources invested in the industry benefit future generations.

He said the Council was working with a continental bank to establish a fund that would assist creatives when financial constraints threatened their projects.

The fund could support film crews, help filmmakers showcase their work internationally and enable producers who secure contracts, including with MultiChoice, to commence production.

Lemmenyane also outlined plans for a real eapstate investment arm that would develop purpose-built entertainment centres, performance venues, rehearsal facilities, studios and multipurpose cultural hubs across the country.

The facilities would generate revenue through rentals, ticketed events, commercial partnerships and mixed-use tenancy, with proceeds reinvested into the creative industry, he said. 

He called on beneficiaries of NAC support to embrace a culture of giving back, saying future generations should also benefit from investments made in the sector.

He noted that diamond revenues had previously financed the education of many Batswana, but insufficient reinvestment by some beneficiaries, had contributed to younger generations facing challenges.

Lemmenyane said the Council wanted to promote a revolving, self-sustaining youth fund that would ensure continued support for emerging creatives.

On the economic contribution of the sector, he said NAC was working on a creative industry satellite account, a statistical tool that would accurately measure its contribution to the country’s economy.

He said the creative industry currently accounted for an estimated 0.05 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), a figure that underscored the need for reliable data to demonstrate its economic potential and attract investment.

NAC’s targets to create 40 000 jobs in the creative industry by 2031 and increase its contribution to GDP to 2.5 per cent.

Lemmenyane therefore, urged creatives to register with the Council, saying accurate records of industry participants and activities were essential to attracting funders and investors.

Welcoming guests to the festival, Eddy Mihigo of the Embassy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and SADC said the event demonstrated the determination and resilience required to build sustainable creative platforms.

He reflected on the challenges creatives faced when working with limited resources, saying the ability to turn ideas into tangible projects despite uncertainty was a source of pride and inspiration.

He said the festival celebrated African cinema and storytelling, as well as independence, determination and the courage to create platforms on one’s own terms.

However, Mihigo stressed that independence did not mean working in isolation, noting that the future of the creative industry depend on collaboration, mutual investment and support for initiatives that created opportunities for others.

He disclosed that the festival was almost entirely self-funded for the first time, describing it as a demonstration of commitment while highlighting the financial challenges faced by African creatives.

He appealed to individuals, businesses and the wider community to support the festival through crowdfunding, personal contributions and business partnerships.

Mihigo said sustaining creative platforms should not be the sole responsibility of their founders, adding that collective support could help initiatives grow into lasting institutions.

He said even small contributions could make a difference between a creative idea that fades away and one that develops into a sustainable platform. ENDS