Journalist, curator, and cultural entrepreneur Tanlume Enyatseng has been awarded the 2025 Prince Claus Seed Award in recognition of his efforts to amplify underrepresented voices and reimagine culture as a force for inclusive futures
GOSEGO MOTSUMI
The 2025 Prince Claus Seed Award has named Botswana’s own Tanlume Enyatseng among its 100 international recipients.
The award, given annually to emerging cultural practitioners across the Majority World, champions individuals whose work blends artistic innovation with social impact.
For the founder of Banana Club and its sister initiatives, Enyatseng, the recognition validates a career built around access, inclusion and storytelling.
INTERSECTION OF CREATIVITY AND VISIBILITY
Through Banana Club, Banana Club Artist Fund, and Banana Emoji Studio, Enyatseng has carved out spaces where creativity intersects with visibility. His platforms have provided residencies, mentorships, and international stages for Southern African artists often left on the margins.
“This recognition provides the opportunity to continue building work that centres inclusion, memory, and resilience in our cultural landscapes,” he told Time Out.
His practice extends beyond curatorial work into critical writing, with essays and features published in the British Journal of Photography, Photoworks UK, ArtThrob, Nataal Media, and Art Africa.
RESILIENT SOCIETIES
Enyatseng’s career reflects both artistry and advocacy. He has curated projects such as the Banana Club Artist Fund Residency and the sold-out Latitudes Art Fair: Botswana Focus.
His collaborations span the European Union, Goethe-Institut, the British Council, and The Other Foundation. Most recently, he served as Writer in Residence for Photoworks UK and juror for the Portrait of Humanity award.
Speaking in the broader context, Enyatseng observed: “In Botswana, cultural work often operates without adequate funding or infrastructure, yet it remains essential to how we imagine inclusive futures and build resilient societies.
INVESTMENT IN THE ARTS
“Sustained investment in the arts is urgent – not as a luxury but as a cornerstone of social and economic development – is necessary.”
To advance this conversation, he is convening the Banana Club Economic Inclusion Forum 2025 in Gaborone on 24 and 25 October to deepen the conversation on the role of culture in shaping equitable economies.