Bakwena decries inadequate funding

GASEBALWE SERETSE
Staff Writer | Wednesday July 7, 2010 00:00

 

Speaking at the Pitso Ya Ngwao conference held at the Gaborone International Convention Centre (GICC), Bakwena said that as compared to youth and sport, the arts received limited funds.

'The budget allocated to the arts from the ministry budget is the smallest by more than 400 percent as compared to youth and sports budget,' he said.  Bakwena also pointed out that some of the challenges faced by the people in the arts sector are that Botswana's small population has depressed the market for artists' products and services. He also complained that it is difficult for artists to get funding from commercial banks and other financial lending institutions because the sector is informal and that new liquor regulations have reduced opportunities in the arts due to limited operating hours.

Bakwena, who was representing a number of Botswana performing and visual arts organisations in Botswana like the Botswana Musicians Union (BOMU), Botswana Folk Music Association, Botswana Comedy Association, Botswana Visual Arts Association, Thapong Visual Arts Centre, Botswana Society for the Arts, Botswana Association of Theatre Activists, Reetsanang Theatre Group and Ngwao Loshalaba, also called on government to allocate adequate budget for the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture.

'Government should also speed up the establishment of the National Arts Council, we would like the Bill to be tabled in October sitting of Parliament,' he said adding that the idea of a National Arts Council was touted as far back as 1974. Bakwena said that the arts organisations call for a directive from President Ian Khama ordering all government departments and parastatal companies to procure 100 percent local music performances and an increment of local content to 60 percent in all broadcasters' licences in order to support local talent.

'The arts organisations call for an immediate funding of a television programme or documentary in which the arts could be profiled. We also want a slot on Botswana Television (Btv) News Bulletins similar to the sports slot,' Bakwena said.

Bakwena commended government for establishing the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture and Oodi College of Applied Arts.

He also praised government for issuing the directive for government departments to buy local artworks for their offices, the President's Day celebrations and awards, and the Departments of Arts and Culture, and Youth for funding various arts organisations.

The Pitso Ya Ngwao conference, whose primary objective was to create a meeting place where the diverse practitioners in the culture sector could have an opportunity to discuss issues, share views and further give feedback on the services provided to them by the ministry, ended yesterday.