Staff Reporter
A TOTAL of 28 Namibian artists and creative practitioners will receive more than N$1.25 million in support through the National Arts Fund, with the funding aimed at strengthening the country’s creative sector and helping bring projects in music, visual arts, theatre and film to life.
The Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture, Dr Sanet Steenkamp, announced the successful beneficiaries, saying the grants represent an investment in creativity, cultural heritage and economic opportunities for Namibian artists.
The beneficiaries received a combined amount of N$1,254,092.86 through two funding cycles of the National Arts Fund.
A total of 25 beneficiaries received N$1.12 million under the second funding cycle, while three beneficiaries received N$132,066.27 from the first cycle.
Steenkamp commended the National Arts Council of Namibia (NACN) for its continued efforts to support, develop and promote the country’s arts and cultural sector.
“Every grant awarded today represents an investment in a dream, an idea, a story waiting to be told and a creative voice that contributes to Namibia’s rich cultural heritage,” she said.
She added that government’s vision was to create a Namibia where creativity is recognised not only as cultural expression, but also as a driver of education, innovation, economic opportunity, national unity and sustainable development.
Among the beneficiaries is Windhoek-based visual artist Juliana Fredericks of JulsArt, who said the funding would help her grow her creative business after recently completing her studies.
“I’m so excited to receive this grant because it’s something that’s going to start my business and it’s so exciting to see something new,” Fredericks said.
She added that receiving a second grant was significant because it allowed artists to build on previous efforts and see the results of their work.
For Caleb Beukes, a new media design student at the College of the Arts, the funding will support efforts to revive film photography in Namibia through the establishment of a darkroom.
Beukes said the project aims to bring back an art form that has been absent in the country since the closure of the last known darkroom in 2014.
The initiative will focus on developing a space for film photography, offering workshops and creating opportunities for collaboration, including within the tourism sector.
“Film photography is something that is historically valued for telling stories in a specific way, and it brings value to the art form when you look at a picture that took longer to take,” he said.
The Contemporary Arts Academy and Entrepreneurship was also among the recipients and plans to use the funding to provide arts training to young people in communities.
The academy said it would focus on teaching underprivileged youth skills such as portrait painting and using art to tell stories.
The National Arts Fund aims to support creative projects across various disciplines while contributing to the growth of Namibia’s arts industry and creating opportunities for emerging and established artists.
Photo: Ministry of Education Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture
