Eswatini National Council of Arts and Culture (ENCAC) will again host the Eswatini Arts Summit this year as it also prepares for the upcoming National Arts and Culture Awards.
ENCAC reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the country’s creative industries and positioning local talent on regional and international stages, according to the council.
The annual summit, which ENCAC described as a flagship event on the cultural calendar, brought together creatives from across disciplines including film, television, music, theatre, dance, visual arts, fashion and crafts.
Following the success of previous editions, including the 2025 summit held in January, ENCAC said they were preparing to convene artists and industry stakeholders for another high-impact gathering aimed at collaboration, skills development and economic growth.
ENCAC Chief Executive Officer Stanley Dlamini explained that the summit remained a strategic platform for unlocking the potential of the local creative economy.
“Eswatini has talent and our responsibility as ENCAC is to unveil the best of that talent and ensure it is supported in a meaningful way. The Arts Summit allows us to bring creatives together, listen to their challenges and provide solutions that can move the industry forward,” Dlamini said.
He said the summit was not only about dialogue, but about building practical pathways for artists to professionalise their work, understand the business side of creativity and access new opportunities.
A key focus ahead of this year’s summit is artist registration, which Dlamini described as essential for effective planning and representation.
“We continue to encourage artists to register at their nearest arts centres, which are stationed across the country.
“Registration helps us understand the size and needs of each sector, whether it is music, film, theatre or visual arts,” he said.
According to Dlamini, the data collected through registration directly influences the structure of the summit, including the selection of keynote speakers and facilitators.
“The keynote speaker will be determined by the numbers in each art sector.
“When artists register, it allows us to invite the most relevant speakers who can offer real value to creatives based on their specific fields,” he explained.
The Arts Summit has increasingly been recognised by ENCAC as a platform where critical issues affecting the creative sector are addressed, including intellectual property rights, funding gaps, limited access to markets and the need for stronger policy frameworks.
Through panel discussions, workshops and masterclasses, artists are equipped with tools to navigate the evolving cultural economy, the council said.
Beyond the summit, ENCAC has also signalled its excitement about hosting another major industry highlight, the National Arts and Culture Awards (NACAs).
“The annual awards celebrate artistic excellence across multiple disciplines, recognising outstanding achievements in theatre, dance, film, music, visual arts and other cultural expressions,” he added.
Dlamini said NACAs were a vital platform for honouring creatives whose work continued to shape local cultural identity.
“The NACAs are about recognising excellence and celebrating the artists who continue to raise the bar in their respective disciplines. It is important that our creatives feel seen, appreciated and valued for their contribution to the nation,” he said.
He added that awards platforms such as NACA also played a role in motivating emerging artists while setting professional standards within the industry.
As ENCAC prepares to host both the Arts Summit and the NACAs, the council has reiterated its call for creatives to actively participate in sector programmes and registration processes.
“These platforms belong to the artists. The more they engage, the more effective we can be in advocating for their interests and creating opportunities that allow Eswatini arts and culture to thrive locally and globally,” Dlamini said.
