The National Arts Council of Botswana (NACB) was established through the National Arts Council of Botswana Act (Act 10 of 2020), which came into effect on November 1, 2020.
Formed as a government parastatal under the Ministry of Sports and Arts (MoSA), the council was created to support, develop, and promote Botswana’s creative and cultural industries.
The NACB’s main objectives are to promote, protect, and regulate cultural and creative expressions; provide funding; create platforms for artistic research; and ensure the commercialisation of the creative arts.
However, the NACB is currently struggling to commercialise the creative industry and monetise the creative economy — a situation sources attribute to what they describe as deliberate “sabotage” by the Ministry of Sports and Arts. The Ministry is responsible for policy formulation, while the NACB is mandated to implement programmes and policies aimed at developing the creative economy and ensuring it contributes meaningfully to domestic output.
Before the establishment of the NACB, the Ministry of Sports and Arts was responsible for both policy formulation and implementation of programmes designed to develop the creative economy. The Ministry had set aside funding for initiatives such as the National Arts Festival (NAF), the disbursement of administrative grants to arts associations, and funding for various creative projects.
The NAF remains one of Botswana’s largest creative arts development programmes. Before the NACB’s creation, the Ministry implemented the festival and also managed the disbursement of grants to approximately 100 creative arts associations for administrative purposes.
Some of these entities include the Botswana Visual Arts Association (BOVAA), Botswana Association of Theatre Activists (BAOTA), Botswana Poetry and Storytelling Association, DJ Association of Botswana, Mogolokwane Association, Folklore Association of Botswana, Comedy Association of Botswana, Clap and Tap Association of Botswana, Botswana Fashion Association, Ngwao Loshalaba Association of Botswana, Botswana Musicians Union, Botswana Choral Association, and Reetsang Association of Community Drama Groups.
The Business Weekly & Review has established that a hefty budget was previously allocated to the NAF. Prior to the NACB’s establishment, the Ministry reportedly used between P60 million and P100 million to finance the festival. These funds covered artist compensation (awards), national and regional activities, procurement and administration costs, and office rentals nationwide. Additionally, one of the major creative development programmes under the Ministry was the disbursement of grants to creative arts associations.
According to information obtained by this publication, before the NACB was established, the Ministry would set aside millions annually to support these initiatives. Grants were disbursed every May and ranged from P100,000 to P200,000 per association, depending on the organisation’s size.
With more than 100 arts associations in Botswana—around 50 of which are functional—organisations collectively received between P50,000 and P1 million for programmes and projects each year. This amounted to over P50 million in annual disbursements by the then Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture (MYSC), now MoSA.
The Ministry also maintained an open call for project funding. Large initiatives such as Thapong’s arts festival were funded with about P1 million, while events like the BOMU Awards received around P500,000. Funding was available year-round upon request.
After the NACB’s formation, however, challenges emerged. Under its clear mandate, the NACB was expected to develop and commercialise the creative arts industry by implementing policies and programmes developed by MoSA. This meant that the NAF and the disbursement of grants would be transferred to the NACB.
The Business Weekly & Review has found that many at the Ministry were slow to relinquish control of these projects. Sources say the programmes were viewed as vital within the Ministry, partly because many officials were trained in programme implementation rather than policy development. Some insiders alleged that programmes such as the NAF had become avenues for personal enrichment through inflated procurement costs during festivals. For those benefiting from such practices, transferring programmes to the NACB meant losing a personal income stream.
While the Ministry previously enjoyed significant budgets, the NACB now faces financial constraints. Sources reveal that even meeting administrative costs is a challenge. The Ministry has reportedly been reluctant to transfer both programmes and the necessary funding to the NACB, crippling its ability to fulfil its mandate.
Currently, the NACB has about 30 employees based in Gaborone. Yet it has inherited nationwide projects that require a much larger staff complement and regional offices. These are unaffordable because the Ministry has not released the corresponding budget funds that have existed for years.
While the Ministry once spent between P60 million and P100 million to run the NAF, evidence seen by this publication shows that in 2025, the NACB was allocated only P24 million to run the same event. Unlike the Ministry, which had access to state resources such as personnel, offices, vehicles, and facilities, the NACB had to cover all costs from its limited budget. Despite this, sources say the NAF was a success due to greater spending efficiency compared to the Ministry’s previous “reckless” expenditure, allegedly influenced by personal gain.
During the last open call for project funding, the NACB received 575 applications requesting a total of P112 million. However, the Ministry allocated only P4 million for the exercise, resulting in just 33 projects being funded.
The Business Weekly & Review has established that while these grants were previously managed by MYSC (now MoSA), the Ministry has retained the funds instead of transferring them to the Arts Council.
This has caused frustration among creatives, many of whom now believe that the Ministry was more effective than the NACB. Sources suggest that some Ministry officials are deliberately withholding funds to undermine the Council.
“It is deliberately disempowering and weakening the Arts Council,” said a source.
Previously, the Ministry provided administrative grants of between P100,000 and P200,000 per arts association, depending on size—amounting to nearly P10 million annually. This funding has stopped because the Ministry has not released the money to the NACB for distribution to creatives.
Because many artists are unaware that the Ministry is holding on to these funds, they assume the Arts Council is at fault for failing to disburse them. This has created the perception that the NACB is non-functional, even though it has not received the resources to operate.
The situation has fuelled tension between creatives and the Arts Council—a rift that sources claim was deliberately engineered by the Ministry. Artists still expect funding for programmes, projects, and administration, unaware that the Ministry retains the money. When artists approach the Ministry for assistance, they are referred to the Arts Council—even though officials know the funds have not been transferred.
Minister of Sports and Arts Jacob Kelebeng appears unaware of these internal dynamics. When asked if he knew that some officials in his Department of Arts opposed the NACB taking over the NAF, he said:
“I am not aware of any formal complaints or expressions of dissatisfaction from officers within the Department of Arts regarding the National Arts Council of Botswana (NACB) assuming implementation of the National Arts Festival. However, it would not be entirely unexpected—change often presents its own set of challenges and concerns.”
He added that leadership requires managing transitions effectively and ensuring all stakeholders align with the broader vision.
“We are currently engaged in this important process of change management, and I am confident that, with continued dialogue and collaboration, we will achieve the desired outcomes for the benefit of the sector and the nation,” he said.
Kelebeng further stated that active steps are being taken to build and support the NACB as it implements its creative industry mandate.
“We have established joint task teams and consultation forums to ensure ongoing alignment between the Ministry, the NACB, and stakeholders across the creative economy,” Kelebeng added.
“Through the Department of Arts and the Ministry’s broader extension services, we are providing mentorship, training, and support to both NACB officers and the wider arts sector to ensure the entire ecosystem thrives.”
According to the Minister, these efforts demonstrate the Ministry’s commitment to empowering the NACB as a key driver of Botswana’s creative economy, in line with national development priorities.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Permanent Secretary (DPS) at MoSA declined to engage with The Business Weekly & Review on the matter. He referred this publication to the NACB, even though questions were directed specifically at him.
This publication sought clarity on whether he is responsible for ensuring that NACB funding requests are processed promptly and whether he has deliberately withheld funds for initiatives such as the NAF, subventions, and grants. These questions remain unanswered.
Sources allege that the DPS has expressed displeasure over the NACB’s takeover of the NAF, reportedly telling colleagues that the Acting CEO “took NAF from his department.” The DPS also sits on the NACB board, which is supposed to ensure the Council fulfils its mandate with full Ministry support. In practice, however, that accountability appears to be lacking.
