Gov’t called to review National Arts Festival prizes
Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Friday June 17, 2022 15:29
Speaking at the National Arts Festival Regional art exhibition Wednesday, Thapong Visual Arts Centre coordinator, Reginald Bakwena called for the review of the prizes.
He lamented the low prize money awarded to the winners, stating that it has contributed to the decline in the quality of the work submitted for the competitions.
At regional level, those who take position three across all categories walk away with P1,000, while the second prize winners take home P1,500. Those who scoop the first prizes are awarded P3,000. The prize monies increase at the national finals.
“The competitions are a good initiative. However, these prizes are just too low, hence the quality of the work is below the standards,” bemoaned Bakwena.
“You can’t expect senior artists to partake in these competitions for these small prizes. Please, these prizes need to be reviewed.”
In response to Bakwena’s remarks, Principal Curator at the Ministry of Youth, Gender, Sport and Culture, Dimpho Tumisang said they have embarked on the review of the whole competitions including the prizes.
He said the review would come with wholesome changes, such as creation of art galleries and art residency centres to help improve the standards.
Tumisang added the recent name changing of the popular President’s Day Competitions to the National Arts Festival is part of the imminent review the ministry is undertaking to improve the arts scene.
Meanwhile, the winners of the regional visual arts competitions were announced on Wednesday.
Eighteen artists emerged winners across different categories of arts that included drawing, photography, painting, printmaking, sculpture, jewellery, pottery, woodcarving, textile and beadwork.