National Arts Council is broke

It appears that the National Arts Council of Botswana is always courting trouble, or trouble like to follow the council. In the latest development, the council has announced a change of priorities in programme implementation due to the current financial constraints and liquidity challenges faced by Government.Subvention funds allocated to support the implementation of key programmes have been significantly reduced, compelling the Council to reprioritise its programming within the limited resources available, says a press release. In a press release dated, October 3rd, 2025, the council shared that following consultations with the Ministry of Sport and Arts, it has resolved to suspend subsequent activities of the ongoing National Arts Festival until further notice.“This means that the Regional Festivals and the National Carnival will not proceed as initially planned. Furthermore, the 2025/2026 Arts and Culture Grant cycle will be delayed, as funds earmarked for the programme have not yet been disbursed,” reads the press release. It further said that despite these challenges, the Council remains committed to honouring all financial obligations already incurred. “Payments to prize winners across different categories, as well as to suppliers and coordinators who have contributed to the success of the National Arts Festival, are being processed and will be concluded in due course.”In the interim, the release also noted that the council is actively engaging with various stakeholders to secure alternative support for the delivery of its core programmes. While the Council acknowledges the inconvenience this development will cause to the Arts and Creative Industry of Botswana, it is committed to accelerating its resource mobilisation efforts to mitigate the impact of the current fiscal environment, said the press release. Shockingly, this announcement follows the recently held Fashion Show gala which was held end of September. The National Carnival was initially pencilled to take place in September.But the announcement has not gone down very well amongst the creatives, with many taking to social media to air their frustrations and displeasure about how the council has been running its affairs. Others also commented that they long saw this coming. Some of the key issues that have been raised is a model which was used this year to run the first leg of the National Arts Festival. “We, the creatives, cautioned against this model. We raised our voices not in defiance but in concern. Yet our counsel was dismissed, our insight undervalued,” said one commentator. Others further opined that the model of going to various areas for the first leg of the competition was doomed from the start. Other issues raised included poor communication, with dates and venues communicated haphazardly, as well as going for extravagant sound, décor, and even booking expensive lodging facilities. Others pointed out that efforts to try and raise concerns around the running of the National Arts Festival have fallen on deaf ears.

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National Arts Council is broke