Patience Bambalele

Patience Bambalele

In trying to empower aspiring young arts performers, gospel singer Tshepiso Mpotle is hosting an arts and culture indaba.

Titled Turn Your Fame into Fortune, the event takes place on Saturday at Refengkgotso Hall in Lekoa.

Mpotle, who is one of Gauteng's celebrated artists, is calling on all musicians, church choirs, deejays, poets, dancers and traditional groups to the arts indaba

He says he has realised that many artists in the arts industry do not understand how it works.

"Everyone who comes into this industry thinks about fame more than anything," he says.

Mpotle says although the arts indaba is open to all people, at the moment they want to target areas such as the Vaal, Ratanda, Refengkgotso, Sasolburg and Parys.

"Our aim is to make all performers understand the business side of the industry. Through these workshops we are trying to teach the community about real issues so that they know what is happening in the industry.

"We want to make the entertainment industry a proud institution that shines out as one of the main contributors to the country's economy."

Mpotle adds that some of the key issues that they will be outlining include skills development, emotional intelligence, financial freedom and financial discipline, personal branding and brand building.

"We want to encourage artists to be able to create jobs for themselves so that they can alleviate poverty," he says.

The workshop, which is free of charge, starts at 7am and will run for four hours. Afterwards Mpotle will perform with Lerato and Gauta.