The arts and education ministry has called for the nomination of new National Arts Council members, who should be people who have shown a keen understanding, commitment and dedication to the arts in the country.
Nominations and expressions of interest should be submitted by 11 March.
Arts director M’kariko Amagulu says having an arts council is the only way to prompote and celebrate the artistic expression of a country and to uplift the arts sector, which is the least-supported sector in the country.
“The council supports artists with creating opportunities and obviously we are living in a world where the creative industry is looked at as a potential sector that can create unemployment and opportunities,” she says.
“We need a strong council to realise the creation of opportunities for artists and to create a proper foundation for artists to grow, that is why we are looking for those particular skills as stated,” she says.
The National Arts Council of Namibia is established through the National Arts Fund Act of 2005, which makes provision for the establishment of a council to act as an advisory body to the fund.
The council’s mandate is to develop local arts through funding and to provide support services to Namibian artists and art organisations, on a representative basis, while adhering to the principles of access, equity, quality and democracy.
The current council has come under increased fire for alleged corruption, fraud and maladministration after one of its councillors blew the whistle on alleged malpractices.
In May 2021, council member Leitago /Narib resigned from the council for various reasons, including the awarding of a N$100 000 tender to design a website to a company that does not specialise in creating websites and whose general manager is also a member of the council.
The council’s chairperson, Patrick Sam, dismissed these claims, saying the allegations of corruption against the institution threaten the council’s image as well as funding for artists.
The arts council consists of seven members and includes three governmental representatives, consisting of the executive director (ED) of the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture, or any other person in the ministry delegated to represent the ED.
The other two are staff members designated by the ministers responsible responsible for the arts and for finance.
Four other non-governmental council members can be nominated for appointment by institutions, organisations and individuals with vested interests in arts.
The current board, chaired by Sam, includes Shareen Thude, Dalicia Olivier, Ervast Mtota and Immanuel Nashivela, while the alternative members of the council are M’kariko Amagulu, Ambrosius Sindano, Petsy Petronella Neiss, Felix Haingura and Martha Amutenya.
– unWrap.Online
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