By Victor Angula /

Oshana region held its inaugural annual arts exhibition and local talent show.

The event was held from 2 to 4 December 2024 at the Oshana Regional Arts School premises in Oshakati, where youngsters, mostly from the town of Oshakati and surrounding villages, came to showcase their talents in performing arts and crafts.

The youths, who most of them have learned to play various musical instruments and dancing at the regional art school, did not come in big numbers, but those who came did put up some outstanding performances.

Although not many members of the public or government officials turned up at the event, Mrs Beata Iita, the head of Arts, Culture and Literacy programmes at the Oshana Directorate of Education, Arts and Culture was there.

Mrs Iita said that she was impressed by the immense talent of the youth of the region, and she encouraged them to continue learning and growing in their art disciplines.

Speaking to Omutumwa, Iita said that, “The youth must come and participate in these kinds of events, they are very much needed; this is an opportunity to develop our learners as a whole whether it is physically, emotionally and socially.”

On whether her directorate is doing enough to support the arts, especially the youth who wish to take art as an income generating activity, she stated that, “We are trying our level best, although we do not have much resources, with the little that we have we are doing something.”

While Oshana has people with excellent talent in visual arts, crafts and performing arts, after the Covid-19 epidemic the art sector has not yet recovered since little has been done to revive the sector at the regional level.

“The challenge that we have is just lack of resources as I said earlier, but the directorate is trying its level best,” Iita said.

“In the recent past we have procured some instruments, musical instruments for this school, so I think I can just say so far so good. We do not want to complain much.”

In the photo: Some of the youths and their teachers performing at the Oshana Regional Arts Exhibition and Talent Show.