Weeklong Festivities Scheduled
Botswana Musicians Union and Total Music Group promises a series of entertainment, conferencing and awards activities in November- December.
The Botswana Music and Entertainment Conference is pencilled for November 28th - December 3rd. The event, touted to be a hybrid event, will be a weeklong music and cultural promotion extravaganza that will be staged by Botswana Musicians Union in collaboration with Total Music Group. Comprising of an eclectic mix of a number of events, the festivities will include the 11th edition of the Botswana Musicians Union Awards, the annual Botswana International Music Conference, Women of Song Workshop, Various Talent Showcases, as well as Awards Pre and After Parties. The event was unveiled at a press briefing that was held on Thursday last week. The event seeks to create an internationally recognized platform in Botswana, by local and international corporates, governments, international and domestic record labels, as well as international and local broadcasters, media houses and content creators. BOMU awards seek national and global appeal that can attract other high profile industry players, promoters, talent buyers and managers. It also aims to cover a wide spectrum of events and market through partnerships with other events such as the annual Botswana International Music Conference. And most importantly, the event will expose Botswana Musicians/ music to the international market/ community by inviting internationally recognised events and eventing companies to participate in the Botswana Entertainment and Music Week such as top events that include your Delish Festival, Vic Falls Carnival, MTN Bushfire, Sauti Wa Buzara ( staged in Stone Town, Zanzibar annually), Moshito, as well as the KZN Music Imbizo to mention a few.
The event will be officially launched on November 28th. In November, a closed off session for Women in Music Business Seminar will also take place. Other highlights of this day will include a Women of Song Talent Showcase the same evening. This event is strictly open to women.
The third day of the event will be dedicated to a Traditional and Folk Music Concert. On the same day, a local Film and Music Content Seminar will take place.
On Thursday and Friday, December 1st and 2nd, the annual Botswana International Music Conference is slated to take place. The first day will conclude with Amapiano/ House/ Hip Hop showcase in the evening. The last day of the Botswana International Music Conference will end off with a BOMU Awards Pre Party before the Botswana Awards, which will bring to an end the festivities. Organisers indicate that this year they are putting together a hybrid event.
Speaking at the Press Conference, Seabelo Modibe of Total Music Group, who is putting the event together, shared that they were looking at a budget of 3.5 million for the BOMU Awards. He also said that so far, they have 70percent of the sponsorship, where they have sold the TV/ Broadcasting Rights. Meanwhile, it has also been revealed that BOMU is almost debt free. According to Papi Rakhudu, BOMU Vice President, BOMU had debts that amounted to close to P650 000. The debt varied from legal costs accrued by the previous committee. He also said that they were left with about P100 000 which they intend to clear before the November event. He further said that last time they sold TV rights for the BOMU awards for P15 million, as well as P500 000 from MYSC, who were one of their sponsors.