Thapong arranges art workshop

MAUREEN ODUBENG
Staff Writer | Thursday March 18, 2010 00:00

The workshop, which started in 2008 and made possible by funding from Barclays, aims  to discover talent, develop, promote, strengthen interaction and networking amongst local artists.

This workshop is one of the efforts to build capacity and encourage artists to improve their skills to be able to offer competitive products to the market and making a living out of their artworks.

'Thapong has realised that there is need to impart creative skills amongst artists in the North. This was discovered during the discussion at the workshop in 2008. Participants felt that this kind of workshop can bring them together and enable them to learn from one another,' Thapong coordinator, Reginald Bakwena explained.

During the workshop participants are expected to share their expertise in order to make art visible in the area by facilitating the movement of works from South to North and vice versa. Bakwena said that the workshop would also encourage the flow and exchange of information in Botswana and Southern African Development Community (SADC) region by artists.

'This important event should give birth to a forum of permanent debate, new dynamic networking opportunities, organisation and structures dedicated to the promotion of contemporary art in the North,' Bakwena said. The workshop will also have a number of presentations from different organisations. Barclays Bank representatives will share on banking.

'Representatives from the bank will make presentations on how to open an account and other bank services. This will help the artists to take art as business,' Bakwena said. Botswana National Productivity Centre (BNPC) will also give a presentation on productivity for the benefit of the artists.

The workshop will end with an exhibition on March 27. Cyril Ndolo, an artist based in Francistown, said artists in the region benefited from the previous workshop, expressing the need for Thapong to have a branch in the northern city.

'There are lots of young people who are gifted in the arts but there is lack of encouragement and  Thapong is motivating us to stand up and work hard,' Ndolo said.