Malawian visual artists have renewed calls for increased support and investment in the creative industry, saying limited platforms and low local appreciation continue to affect the sector’s growth.
The artists said this at the just-ended Art in the Park 2026 event which took place from Friday to yesterday at Four Seasons Gardens in Lilongwe, where stakeholders urged Malawians to support local art through buying artworks produced in the country.
Speaking in an interview, impressionist artist Charles Levison, who has been showcasing in the past editions, said there is need for more platforms to enable artists to showcase their works and interact with local communities.
“It is important to have more platforms because we do not have many spaces to showcase our work and that limits local appreciation of art because people do not always see what we do,” he said.
Levison said communities need more opportunities to interact with visual artists if local artists are to gain recognition and support.
He also appealed to government institutions and the private sector to emulate initiatives such as Standard Bank’s support towards the event.
“We plead with government institutions to emulate what Standard Bank plc is doing for artists to have support and encourage more people to venture into art,” said Levison.
Another artist, Panji Tembo, said although local support for visual arts remains low, foreign visitors continue to show strong interest in Malawian artworks which is also a positive development.
He, however, stressed the need to cultivate interest among locals by reviving the same initiatives and platforms in cities such as Blantyre.
“Art in the Park brings visual artists together and provides us with a good platform to showcase our work. Similar initiatives can also be revived in cities such as Blantyre to help grow the industry,” said Tembo.
Speaking during the opening night of the event, Standard Bank Malawi plc chief executive officer Phillip Madinga said economic growth should not only focus on financial indicators but also on investing in the country’s creative sector and preserving cultural heritage.
“True growth is not just about economic indicators. It is about investing in the creative potential of our artists, preserving our heritage and building a platform where Malawian talent can flourish not only locally but also internationally,” he said.
Madinga encouraged companies and individuals to support local artists by buying Malawian artworks and displaying them in offices and homes, saying blank walls present an opportunity to tell Malawi’s story through art.
He said the bank’s K20 million investment towards this year’s Art in the Park reaffirms their commitment to strengthening the country’s creative economy through the Joy of the Arts initiative which also promotes music, drama and other art forms.
Meanwhile, Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi (Wesm) chairperson Nick Hall said the event has registered remarkable growth in the quality and standards of artworks exhibited since its inception.
“The progress is amazing. What we have seen is that artists continue to improve every year and the standard of artworks keeps getting better with every edition,” he said.
Hall said apart from promoting visual arts, the event also plays an important role in raising funds for environmental conservation activities and supporting environmental clubs across the country which is one of Wesm’s core roles.
