BY PHUMZILE NDLOVU
MANZINI – Get ready to absorb rich knowledge from entertainment legends and veterans who will be part of the Art Summit next week.
South African legendary actor Hamilton Dlamini, Jazz legend Don Laka, and Gospel Veteran Artist Sipho Big Fish Makhabane will be part of the panellists for the two-day art summit coordinated by Eswatini Arts and Culture.
The art summit will be held at Julios Cinelux in Manzini next week on Thursday and Friday (March 14–15). The summit is scheduled to kick off at 9am on both days. This was confirmed by National Council of Arts and Culture (ENCAC) CEO Stanley Dlamini.
Other local panellists who will also be part of the art summit are the Executive Director of the Eswatini Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Society, Mmeli Hlanze, Music Analyst Ziyawakazitha Matsenjwa ( who is also a veteran producer, sound designer, mixing and mastering engineer), Becky Casting, and Gospel Artist Ndunduzo Matse. Music producer Ndumiso Dlamini will be the moderator.
Some of the topics that will be discussed at the art summit by the different panellists and entertainment key players are: music distribution, royalties, copyright laws and regulations, correcting society, taxation, and how to work with home affairs-related issues; film and television fashion design; international collaborations; business funding; and ENCAC regional arts and culture centre programmes.
In a previous interview with the Arts and Culture CEO, he said, in some countries, the arts sector all over the world, especially in developing countries, is less funded, and it takes years to convince the government of the day to focus on the art industry. According to Dlamini, art is an economic stimulus that promotes youth empowerment in terms of job creation.
The CEO shared that the art sector played a huge role in terms of providing employment for the youth, which is why he commends the government for the positive statement it made with the budget allocation last month.
This year’s allocation for the Council of Arts and Culture was E10 814 692; last year it was E8 682 735. This saw an increase in the allocation by E2131 957.
The Minister of Finance, Neal Rijkenberg, last month presented a National Budget worth E29.42 billion for the 2024–25 financial year. “The theme of this year’s budget is ‘Nkwe for growth!’ To hit the ground running.
It is worth mentioning that arts and culture fall under the Ministry of Sports, which got E 58 626 217 allocations for the other seven portfolios that fall under the ministry. Last year, the ministry and its seven disciples got E53 424 749.
