Local creatives are feeling the squeeze. Now, Government says a P200 million fund is nearing release putting fresh money, big expectations and the country’s creative economy on the same stage.
GOSEGO MOTSUMI
For Botswana’s creatives, applause only goes so far. Behind the red carpets, awards and Independence celebrations is an industry wrestling with a very familiar problem: how do you build a career when the money is tight?
At the 14th Botswana Music Union (BOMU) Awards, the Minister of Sports and Arts Jacob Kelebeng offered a potentially game-changing answer: P200 million.
Kelebeng said the much-awaited creative sector Levy Fund is at an “advanced stage” of being made available, raising hopes that artists and young creatives could finally get greater access to opportunities, resources and business support.
But the announcement lands in an industry already feeling the economic squeeze.
BOMU president Gloria Dzwikiti acknowledged Botswana’s wider financial pressures while urging Government not to lose sight of the creative sector.
“We therefore respectfully rally Government to continue investing in our creative industries, because supporting artists is investing in jobs, youth, culture, tourism, national identity and economic diversification,” she said.
MORE THAN ENTERTAINMENT
Kelebeng wants the industry to think beyond gigs and applause. His vision is of artists as entrepreneurs—people building companies, creating jobs and turning intellectual property and cultural expression into exportable products.
“We want to see artists not only as entertainers but as creative entrepreneurs and contributors to our economy, creating businesses, jobs and opportunities,” he said.
That shift could be crucial. Botswana’s creatives are increasingly being asked to compete in a global digital marketplace, where talent alone does not guarantee sustainability.
The Minister also called for professionalism, stronger intellectual-property protection, technology adoption and partnerships capable of taking Botswana’s creative products beyond its borders.
THE WAITING GAME
For now, the P200 million remains a promise in advanced preparation, not money already flowing into artists’ pockets.
The real test will come when the fund moves from announcement to access: who qualifies, how applications work, what gets funded and how transparently the money is distributed.