- Organizers say the aim is to transform brands
South Africa’s veteran rapper Slikour and entrepreneur Sibu Mabena are scheduled to headline the inaugural Creative Arts Workshop to elevate the local arts industry that will take place at Notwane Lifestyle Club on March 4.
“The primary intention of the Creative Arts Workshop is to bring creatives together not only those in Botswana but across different regions,” said the custodian of the event, Carnido Tshiamiso, in an interview.
“When we speak of creatives, most people think of music artists and DJs. However, the truth of the matter is that it is a lot more than just those two. It incorporates even promoters, makeup artists, sound engineers, bouncers, ticketing, cinematographers and a whole lot more.”
When explaining the choice of Slikour and Mabena as headliners, Tshiamiso said Slikour has successfully transformed his brand from being just a rapper into a creative multimedia expert who runs an international digital platform called Slikour On Life that has elevated several African artists. He described Mabena as an events organizer who has worked with several regional and international brands. Her presence at the workshop, he added, should have an impact and inspire female creatives.
The ultimate goal of the event is to have a conducive environment where creatives can share knowledge and experiences. “We want to break the barrier of knowledge exchange settings,” Tshiamiso said. “Not only will we exchange knowledge but we will have a great time networking too.”
The workshop is likely to have positive results in Botswana’s creative arts industry because research shows that a workshop can stimulate creative impulses, help relieve artists’ block, or lead to new ideas and inspirations for future work. These are some of the fringe benefits to being around new people, amateurs and first-timers experimenting and creating whatever they feel like.
The event will also feature the likes of Seabelo Modibe, Mosarwa Molema and Malebogo Marumoagae as panelists while veteran media practitioner Losika Seboni will be the main host. Since the beginning of this year, there have been several workshops for creatives that have been held in a bid to transform and grow the local industry.