Gaborone — The National Arts Festival celebrations are not an exercise in futility, but a dedication to the nation's spirit of culture, identity, diversity, harmony, togetherness and creativity.
It is for this reason that so much time and other resources are dedicated to the festival.
Minister of Youth, Gender, Sport and Culture Tumiso Rakgare said this at the 2023 National Arts Festival
Under the theme; The Creative Economy: Botswana' Economic Future Redefined saw the NAF awarding 60 awards at GICC on Monday.
Vice President Slumber Tsogwane along other dignitaries from the Diplomatic corps, cabinet ministers, MP's as well as senior government, private and parastatal officials graced the event which was dominated by song and dance.
Various categories in the different categories traditional song and dance, art, film, craft and beadwork, poem as well as music among others were honoured for their innovation.
Of highlight was the 2023 Ensemble performance, made up of traditional song dance, contemporary music and jazz.
With artistes such as Dato Seiko, A.T.I, Punah Gabasiane, Khoi San, Amantle Brown and Han C, the Ensemble opened the afternoon ceremony with a medley of Botswana sounds enhanced with the traditional dance of different genres.
Clad in some of the designs by some Batswana creative in the fashion industry, the Ensemble's opened the awards ceremony with first awards honouring the traditional song and dance category.
It was followed by various categories in visual art, craft and basketry, fashion and modelling, comedy and contemporary music as well as the overall best awards.
In between the awards announcements, the audience was entertained with Tsutsube, phatisi, diware and Hosana category of traditional song and dance, as well as katara and poem.
The Ensemble closed off the event with a party like medley turning the event into a celebration of the creative in the room.
The audience was on cloud nine as the medley entertainers joined and unleashed their.
Earlier Minister Tumiso Rakgare said they had set aside P40 million for this year's NAF activities and noted that next year they will do more.
Rakgare said the NAF was a critical addition to the national calendar as it brought to focus the spectacle being the diversity of arts and creativity of Botswana.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
He said the creative sector is growing in leaps and bounds globally in part due to digitalization of goods, products and services.
"Yet Botswana seems to be falling behind in harnessing the digital space to reshape our business models, change approaches to doing business as well as monetise our craft," Rakgare noted.
He also indicated another challenge faced by the creative, as knowing how to use the global digital platforms and receive fair and shared value as creators of works.
He challenged the youth to start harnessing their youth intellectual presence to create their own platforms.
Furthermore, Rakgare called on industry players and stakeholders such as arts associations, business community, the media as well as the academia and artistes to play a role in a quest to redefine the economic outlook of this nation.
The NAF, now in its 15th year was established in 2008, known then called President's Day Competitions.
BOPA
