Shot in arm for Arts, Culture, Sports
DODOMA: THE Arts and Culture Sector is set to see a significant increase in funding for the 2024/2025 fiscal year compared to the previous year.
The Culture and Arts Fund has received a doubled budget from the government, with an allocation of 3bn/-, which is an increase from the previous year’s 1.6 bn/-, resulting in a 1.4 bn/- increase from the last year’s budget.
The Culture and Arts Fund’s budget is part of the amount allocated to the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Sports, where the Minister for Finance, Mwigulu Nchemba, highlighted a total of 285bn/-.
The Culture and Arts Fund will aid in offering loans to stakeholders in the arts and cultural sectors to help them implement their creative works.
The Culture and Arts Fund aims to provide subsidies and loans to artists, improve their capacities, formalise their work, and support their commercial endeavours.
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During the launch of artist Rajab Abdul’s ‘Harmonize’ album, President Samia Suluhu urged all artists who have taken loans from the government to repay them on time.
The Head of State emphasised that the loans are issued to artists, stressing the importance of timely repayment to allow other artists to benefit from the loans as well.
“We offer loans to all artists, but we request that they be diligent in repaying the loans on time so that these funds can also be available to other artists,” she said.
The budget also includes an allocation of 1.5bn/- for Bagamoyo College of Arts and Culture (TaSUBa) in the 2024/25 fiscal year.
Additionally, 500m/- has been allocated to support the activities of the National Swahili Council (BAKITA). The goal is to create 100 Swahili teaching facilities overseas during the 2024/25 fiscal year.
In the past year, the budget was intended to continue providing loans, subsidies, and training for stakeholders in the culture and arts sectors.
It also aimed to create an electronic system to deliver services more efficiently and reach more beneficiaries.
