10 November 2009
Thapong Visual Arts Centre is organising a Southern African Development Community (SADC) creators/artists workshop to be held on November 16 to 28 at the Motse Lodge in Kanye.
Countries expected to take part in the workshop are, Botswana, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Lesotho, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. There will be 21 Batswana participants at the workshop.
The workshop will bring resource people from countries in the region.
Participants will cover the views and update the reflection of issues of contemporary art in the SADC region in order to promote cultural visibility, especially in the art sector.
"There is a need for artists in the region to be seen contributing in the SADC structures.
The workshop is in line with article 15 of Arts and Culture Festivals, which is one of the goals in the SADC Protocol on Culture, Information and Sports.
It states that the member states shall organise and cause to organise the arts and cultural festivals to pursue the idea of regional integration," Thapong coordinator Reginald Bakwena explained.
During this year's workshop, curators and art administrators will address the artists on the subject of copyright and neighbouring rights.
Participants are expected to share their expertise in order to make art visible in the region by facilitating the movement of works from South to North as well as South to South.
The workshop will also encourage the flow and exchange of information in the SADC region among artists.
"The workshop will also focus on how to contribute to the structuring of the SADC market in the arts, how to support and offer regional art on the international stage, and to ensure quality of production, teaching, theoretical and critical approach.
This important event should give birth to a forum of permanent debate, a new dynamic, networking opportunities, organisations and structures dedicated to the promotion of contemporary art," a statement of Thapong further explained.
The workshop will end with an exhibition, which is expected to attract the business community, embassies, and senior government officials. There will be an evaluation in order to see if the set objectives were achieved and a questionnaire will be circulated amongst participants and member states.
The workshop is expected to give birth to a Regional Integration Committee, which will be charged with making sure that such workshops continue.
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