Banana Club, DTCB join forces
Correspondent | Sunday April 14, 2024 05:00
This transformative initiative aims to empower emerging creative entrepreneurs from underserved communities through mentorship, financial aid, and curatorial support to create new work, challenging societal stereotypes and fostering creative urgency.
Themed 'The Audacity of Queer Joy' the 2024 iteration of BCAF invites visual artists across various disciplines to imagine work that celebrates abundance and challenges the notion of needing salvation to live, survive, and breathe authentically.
Tanlume Enyatseng, Founder and Creative Director of Banana Club, expressed enthusiasm for this year's residency.
She stated that the 2024 residency welcomes visual artists from underserved communities across Botswana. 'We strongly encourage submissions from lesbian, bisexual, and queer women, including cisgender, trans, and intersex individuals, as well as non-binary people.
Open to LGBTQIA+ visual artists specialising in various disciplines, the programme aims at increasing visibility and resources, change mindsets, build networks, and narrow existing gaps,' Enyatseng said.
The Open Call for the 2024 Banana Club Artist Fund will run from April 5 to May 5, 2024, with the residency commencing in July and concluding in September 2024 with an artists’ exhibition. This comprehensive programme offers mentorship, curatorial assistance, a production budget, travel stipend, and exhibition support, ensuring holistic support for the artists’ creative development.
As a sponsor, DTCB will provide crucial support for the artists' needs, including financial aid towards art supplies, workspace, a three-month stipend, and the production of work culminating in the September exhibition. 'We are thrilled to join forces with the Banana Club and uncover the true gems of Botswana's creative industries,' says Prudence Mabua, Senior Manager -Technical Services for DTC Botswana and Real You Sponsor.
'Through this partnership, we aim to provide a platform for visual artists in Botswana to contribute to a more inclusive and diverse narrative within the global art community. This collaboration is a testament to our commitment to support Botswana's LGBTQIA+ community, and to continue to inspire and promote creativity and inclusivity within our society,' she added. Previous BCAF awardees include fashion designer Troy Gabolwelwe of Versa La Troy and Thabang Makuke, aka Yorokee, who utilised the opportunity to produce his debut EP titled 'Entropy' now streaming on all platforms.
The 2024 programme will feature an Artist Talk & Workshop, the Artist Exhibition, and a short video documenting the artists’ residency journey. The entire programme, from selection to exhibition, will be curated and produced by multi-disciplinary creative consultancy Banana Emoji Studio. Enyatseng added: 'We are excited to embark on this journey of artistic exploration and community building with the support of DTCB. Together, we aim to amplify the voices of marginalised artists and create a more inclusive and vibrant art landscape in Botswana and within the global art community.'