01 Jul 2019

The Northern Arts Awards (NAA) has launched its new website and logo.

 The website is meant to enable the artists to register online and to sell the NAA.

Speaking at the launch in Francistown recently, the project manager of NAA, Lionel Nkosi said for them to be recognised not only locally but globally, and also to be able to contribute to the economy of the country, they needed to produce brands.

He said the objective of the NAA was not only competitions but rather to produce brands that could be recognised globally. 

Nkosi observed that their organisation needed to establish cultural sectors in Francistown and also sell themselves in a better way.

The project manager explained that this year they wanted to spread their wings to reach other parts of the country.

He encouraged artists to produce quality material and brand themselves wisely so that they could receive proper recognition.

He added that NAA endeavored to unearth new talents in far flung villages rather than concentrating on established artists.

Giving a key note address, Tafic Football Club chairperson, Carlos Sebina said the time had come for artist to change from relying on playing CDs to live performances as that could attract more audience. 

Further, he said arts had the potential to create employment if taken serious by its practitioners. 

However, Sebina explained that for this to happen, change must take place amongst artists and their stakeholders.He urged artists to identify people who could manage them as it was impossible to be accountants and managers at the same time.“Artists do not know how to price their products and also they do not have structures that guide them, therefore it is high time they hire managers,” he said.

The Tafic chairman appealed to artists to be confident enough about their work and ask for assistance from relevant people. 

He also encouraged them to own their business ideas and to try partnerships instead of always asking for startup capital.

Sebina appealed to Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development to start auditing artists to help them grow.

For his part, Itekeng ward councilor Lesego Kwambala said that NAA was meant to inspire artists in the northern part so that they could be recognised countrywide.  He urged the artists to help NAA grow as they were the main beneficiaries of the awards.

He further appealed to all especially the artists to work together as a team. Ends