The sudden move has raised serious questions about whether the council’s priorities are aligned with the potential of the creative economy. In a statement, NACB said government subvention reductions had forced it to “reprioritise programming within limited resources,” while assuring that payments already incurred to prize winners and suppliers would be honoured. Yet, for many in the industry, this is far from reassurance.
“This is a clear demonstration of the pitfalls of over-reliance on government funding,” said Goaba Mojakgomo, chairperson of the Botswana Entertainment Promoters Association (BEPA).
