The opening of the LTDF Open Call was officially opened on Wednesday. It is earmarked to run over a period of two months as it is slated to close the curtains on February next year. Speaking at the official launch of the LTDF Open Call 2023, CIPA chairperson, Gideon Mmolawa revealed that they last rolled out the initiative back in 2015.
He highlighted that this has not been their proudest moment as the initiative can help the creative industry reach the resounding success that it so much yearns for. “It has been really quite a long time since a last open call was issued.
But I want to put out a word that we have been doing a lot of work behind the scenes last year. And I promise that we will be better than we were in 2015,” Mmolawa said. The chairperson said LTDF Open Call’s main purpose is to avail funding for projects that promote the development and growth of the copy right-based industries.
He stated that this is a special fund that is only open to Botswana-based industries for citizen empowerment. “The fund has also supported initiatives at advancing the creative industries including provision of seed capital for the establishment of the Copyright Society of Botswana (COSBOTS), the development of the National Strategy for the creative industries as well as the study on the economic contribution of the copyright industries in the country,” he said.
Furthermore, Mmolawa sensitised creative individuals about the pros and cons they should know of to be able to navigate around LTDF Open Call and stand a great chance of scooping the grant. “The management committee undertook workshops in order to increase uptake from outside major centres.
I wish to highlight that sustainability is one of the key elements that the management committee will be looking for during the appraisal of project proposals. Therefore we urge Batswana to present proposals that speak to the objectives of the fund and most importantly to come up with projects that will advance the sector,” Mmolawa advised.
Mmolawa also explained that the LTDF Open Call is a grant for the creative sector, which they do not have to pay back. “Let me highlight that this funding is a grant which will be closely monitored and beneficiaries stand to be awarded between P10 000 and P1 million. These must be Botswana citizens 100%-owned companies, locally registered entities and other public entities are eligible to access the fund,” he concluded.
