NACN concludes regional consultations to revamp Act
The National Arts Council of Namibia (NACN) recently completed a regional consultation tour aimed at reviewing the existing National Arts Fund Act and drafting new supporting regulations.
Supported by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation's (Unesco) Aschberg programme, the meetings were conducted successfully across all 14 regions from 1 to 18 July.
“The consultation sessions were designed to ensure inclusivity and extensive stakeholder engagement. The sessions offered a platform for artists, cultural practitioners, policymakers and other stakeholders to contribute towards shaping the revised Act and its supporting regulations,” NACN administrator Gretta Gaspar said.
In total, 504 participants attended the consultations. Katima Mulilo had the highest attendance with 68, followed by Oshakati with 55. “The participation levels across all regions reflected a broad engagement from various stakeholders, demonstrating the strong interest in the development of the arts sector in Namibia,” she added.
Concerns and ideas
On the most common concerns, Gaspar mentioned that participants highlighted the need for a more comprehensive and inclusive framework to support the arts. She said the consultations allowed for open and respectful discussions, where participants expressed their concerns and ideas freely.
“The insights gathered during these discussions will be carefully synthesised by the legal drafters as they work on the revised Act. While specific next steps are still in development, all feedback will be considered in drafting the updated legislation.”
Regarding the benefits the meeting yielded in engaging people on the ground, Gaspar said the consultations allowed the NACN to also raise awareness about its various initiatives, such as bursaries, grants, sponsorships and mobility funding. “Additionally, the tour helped the NACN enhance its database of artists across different disciplines, making future communication strategies are more effective. This groundwork will improve how information is disseminated directly to artists, stakeholders and cultural practitioners, ensuring better outreach in the future.”
Extensive process
Asked how long it will take to have this new proposal approved, she shared that the process is extensive, as several steps must be completed before the project deadline of 15 November.
“A validation meeting will take place on 17 October to review the collected inputs from the regions. Additionally, four panel discussion sessions featuring sectoral representatives, arts practitioners, promoters, producers and businesses will be held to further contribute to the amendment of the Act,” Gaspar said, adding that this will be done in parallel to both a national and an international expert reviewing and synthesising the information.
Following this, legal drafters from the justice ministry will continue with the amendment process.
Supported by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation's (Unesco) Aschberg programme, the meetings were conducted successfully across all 14 regions from 1 to 18 July.
“The consultation sessions were designed to ensure inclusivity and extensive stakeholder engagement. The sessions offered a platform for artists, cultural practitioners, policymakers and other stakeholders to contribute towards shaping the revised Act and its supporting regulations,” NACN administrator Gretta Gaspar said.
In total, 504 participants attended the consultations. Katima Mulilo had the highest attendance with 68, followed by Oshakati with 55. “The participation levels across all regions reflected a broad engagement from various stakeholders, demonstrating the strong interest in the development of the arts sector in Namibia,” she added.
Concerns and ideas
On the most common concerns, Gaspar mentioned that participants highlighted the need for a more comprehensive and inclusive framework to support the arts. She said the consultations allowed for open and respectful discussions, where participants expressed their concerns and ideas freely.
“The insights gathered during these discussions will be carefully synthesised by the legal drafters as they work on the revised Act. While specific next steps are still in development, all feedback will be considered in drafting the updated legislation.”
Regarding the benefits the meeting yielded in engaging people on the ground, Gaspar said the consultations allowed the NACN to also raise awareness about its various initiatives, such as bursaries, grants, sponsorships and mobility funding. “Additionally, the tour helped the NACN enhance its database of artists across different disciplines, making future communication strategies are more effective. This groundwork will improve how information is disseminated directly to artists, stakeholders and cultural practitioners, ensuring better outreach in the future.”
Extensive process
Asked how long it will take to have this new proposal approved, she shared that the process is extensive, as several steps must be completed before the project deadline of 15 November.
“A validation meeting will take place on 17 October to review the collected inputs from the regions. Additionally, four panel discussion sessions featuring sectoral representatives, arts practitioners, promoters, producers and businesses will be held to further contribute to the amendment of the Act,” Gaspar said, adding that this will be done in parallel to both a national and an international expert reviewing and synthesising the information.
Following this, legal drafters from the justice ministry will continue with the amendment process.
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