LAME BOGATSU
One Love Jam session is one of the events that are slowly cementing themselves as the go to art events of every month end.
Having started in 2011, One Love Jam session which takes place at the Yatch club every two months on the last Saturday of the month- has positioned itself as an event that promotes local art and artists. “The current event is a fusion of creative and artistic expression bred in Botswana, featuring some of the best known and emerging talents,” says organizer Kagiso Koyabe.
He says the event was inspired by the desire to give back to the community, while also promoting local artistry, whether it be poetry, music or fashion. “The idea of pairing these two is to encourage artists to play a bigger role in uplifting their communities as a way to also make them relate-able to the local market, making it more likely for locals to support their endeavors in the creative sector. The One Love Jam Sessions is a collaborative effort between, Lucky Charm International based in Gaborone and Live Wire Recording Studios from Ramotswa,” adds Koyabe.
He adds that the proceeds of the event are partly given to a charity organization which they support. “As an urban lifestyles company Lucky Charm International has noted that art music and poetry, transcends across age, race and social standards and carries revelers through an emotively participatory experience, a journey, where they are moved to interact, share and grow together, but most importantly can carry social messages in a way that resonates with todays youth. One of the major aims of the event is to provide support in benefit of the Re Fa Ka Bone Caring Centre who care for the elderly and marginalized in Ramotswa, a stone throw away from Gaborone. RE Fa Ka Bone Caring Centre is a non-governmental organization founded with an objective to provide day care for the elderly and the mentally disabled in Ramotswa village,” he says.
Koyabe reveals, however, that balancing the needs of the Centre and helping with those of local artists looking to earn a living or craft a career from the arts sometimes proves to be a challenge. “At this point getting sponsors on board has been our biggest challenge, we are hoping to obtain sponsorship that leads to more sustainable assistance to the Re Fa Ka Bone Caring Centre in Ramotswa, this will allow us to focus more on giving back to local artists, and using the platform to upcoming artists and hopefully also foster collaborations with more established ones,” he said.
The event features a lot of artists who play Afro Soul, Rand B, Reggae, Tswanahall (Tswana and Dancehall), Hip Hop while the art is usually photography exhibitions, urban contemporary art, graffitti art and upcoming poets.