Arts and Culture dismisses MP Welcome’s studio presentation

MBABANE – The Eswatini National Council of Arts and Culture has dismissed the presentation made by Member of Parliament (MP) Welcome Dlamini about the studio in Mbabane during a recent Parliament session.

Welcome Dlamini recently asked why the studio was relocated from Mbabane to Manzini. “Artists are crying about the studio.

“In 2023 there was a celebration of the opening of the studio in Mbabane, known as Vukubone Sound Lab. Artists are asking why the studio was moved from Mbabane. They say there is a studio in Manzini at the American Corner offering the same services. The council is now competing with producers in Manzini,” he said.

ENCAC Chief Executive Officer Stanley Dlamini dismissed the presentation by the MP, stating that what was in Mbabane was not a studio as it was small and could not accommodate artists recording as a group. Stanley explained that the new studio in Manzini offers increased accessibility and several compartments including a podcast studio.

“MP Welcome needs to come to the studio as we are saying that what we had in Mbabane was not a studio. Only one or two people could be recorded in Mbabane. In the new studio we have four compartments; a podcast studio, a recording studio, vocals compartments and drums compartment. In Mbabane we only had one compartment. The new studio can record groups, which was not possible in Mbabane,” he said.

He added that having the studio in Mbabane was costly and that they now pay less rent in Manzini. “The studio in Mbabane was also inside town, so when a large vehicle passed by, the noise would distort recordings.

This meant it was not located in a good area. In Mbabane, the rent was E9 000, whereas in Manzini it is E7 000. Manzini is central and accessible. As part of the decentralisation programme, known as ‘nkwe’, which aims to improve access to facilities, Manzini is ideal. Many artists come from Manzini, making the location more practical. The old Mbabane studio was not a proper studio, which made management difficult,” Stanley said.

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