ARTS, CULTURE BUDGET INCREASE TO OVER E12M

LOBAMBA – The arts and culture sector has received a significant injection of funds following the budget speech delivered on Friday by the Minister for Finance Neal Rijkenberg. The Council of Arts and Culture will benefit from an increase of over E12 million a sum that promises to invigorate the creative landscape of the nation. This represents a substantial rise of E2 million from the previous year’s allocation of E10 million.

The detailed budget estimates from the Ministry of Sports Culture and Youth Affairs confirm a total allocation of E12 633 744 for the year 2025/26. This financial commitment marks a pivotal moment for the sector, a move that is widely celebrated and anticipated. Minister for Sports Culture and Youth Affairs Bongani Nzima expressed his optimism, stating that the budget is poised to be a blessing for the sector providing crucial support to creatives across all regions. He outlined specific areas, where the funds would make a tangible difference.

“I believe the budget will also address the issue of our art houses in the regions, especially the stages issue because whenever they host shows in their regions hiring stages is very costly to them,” he explained. The minister emphasised the potential for regional growth and the financial empowerment of local artists if each region could establish its own stage. This would allow artists to retain all revenue from ticket sales instead of incurring substantial costs. He made it very clear how such an investment would facilitate the growth of the arts. Stanley Dlamini, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Eswatini National Council of Arts and Culture (ENCAC), welcomed the increase wholeheartedly.

Funds

He elaborated on the ways in which the additional funds would be strategically deployed to advance the art sector. “We hope this budget will help us advance our programmes and also provide resources in the regions. This will include art development talent search and also capacity building will be carried out using this budget. “We also want to have equipment for all regions because some people in the regions want to host festivals, but they fail due to the fact that it is expensive to acquire equipment,” he revealed.

This planned allocation demonstrates a clear commitment to fostering artistic talent at a grassroots level, providing opportunities for development training and equipping regional centres with the resources necessary to showcase and nurture local creativity. Phetsile Masilela, the former President of the Association of Christian Artists in Eswatini (ACAESWA) also voiced her approval of the increased funding. She offered a considered perspective on behalf of the diverse associations that comprise the local arts sector, making a specific request for equitable distribution.

“We request that the different associations be allocated equal amounts to facilitate activities for the year and they must be used as vehicles of development for the art industry as a whole,” Masilela stated. Her comments underscore the importance of fair allocation of resources and the vital role that these associations play in driving the overall growth and prosperity of the art industry. The new budget promises a bright future for the arts, providing the financial support needed to cultivate creativity and ensure that it flourishes throughout the nation.

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