Several industry players have in the past scolded the government for low prizes given to winners of the National Arts Festival, which was formerly the President’s Day Competitions.
They called for the review of the prizes stating that it could contribute to the decline in the quality of the work Submitted for the competitions. The festival attracts a large number of participants and has been growing every year since its establishment. At the 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.
These prizes were said to be low and unattractive. However, the creatives' prayers have finally been answered after Rakgare said they plan to increase the prizes. Rakgare, who was speaking during the National Arts Festival Awards ceremony on Monday, said the plan is to increase the National Arts Festival prize monies in the future across all the stages and categories. He stated it was important that the prizes matched the creative talent that the artists showcase. Additionally, he said this will go a long way in growing the festival and contribute to the growth of the creative sector in general.
“These festivities are not an exercise in futility ladies and gentlemen, but a dedication to the nation’s spirit of culture, identity, diversity, harmony togetherness and creativity. This is the reason so much time and resources are dedicated to these festivals, which also bring together both old and young,” he said. Rakgare stated that a total of P40 million was set aside for this festival this year and promised that they intend to increase the money next year. Rakgare also urged artists to take advantage of the digital platforms to monetise their crafts.
He said despite efforts to grow the creative sector, Botswana has fallen behind in harnessing the digital space to reshape the business models, change approaches to doing business as well as monetise crafts. Rakgare said the creative sector continues to grow in leaps and bounds globally as part of the digitalisation of goods, products and services.
He said the other challenge artists face is how to use global digital platforms and receive fair and shared value as creators of work. “This question must also bother us generally as Batswana to ask ourselves if indeed it is not yet time to harness youth intellectual presence in our country to create our own platforms. Digitalisation as part of the Resent Agenda is proposed in this spirit and is something we must adopt in our sector just like it is the case in other sectors of the economy,” Rakgare said.
The Minister said the National Arts Council is expected to come up with a number of new other programmes that will give impetus to the growth and development of the sector and the creative economy in general.
