The Art Lab: A Creative Sanctuary in the heart of Gaborone
THE ART LAB: A CREATIVE SANCTUARY IN THE HEART OF GABORONE
Botswana’s creative industry is ever developing, and The Art Lab stands as a bold, beautiful anomaly, a space that dares to believe in the transformative power of imagination. Founded by artist and community builder Loretta Mekgwe, The Art Lab is more than just a studio; it is a sanctuary for creative exploration, emotional restoration, and inclusive education.
Mekgwe’s vision was born out of both frustration and hope. “The Art Lab emerged as both a protest and a promise,” she says. In Botswana, she noticed a striking absence of accessible, judgment-free spaces where people could create for the sake of healing, learning, or simple joy. Rather than wait for such a place to exist, she built one with open doors, open minds, and open hearts.
Inside The Art Lab, art is not limited to the skilled or the trained. Children, elders, professionals, and first-time painters all find common ground here. Whether through brush strokes, storytelling, movement, or even quiet reflection, each session becomes a journey inward. “I hope they leave feeling seen, heard, and gently reconnected to themselves, like they’ve remembered something ancient and true within.”
The impact is deeply personal yet profoundly communal. Visitors often leave lighter, more confident, and creatively affirmed. It’s not uncommon for someone to shed tears of joy or rediscover a forgotten dream in the middle of a painting class. And that’s by design; The Art Lab isn’t just a space to make art; it’s a space to be art.
What makes Mekgwe’s work truly revolutionary, however, is its commitment to accessibility and community engagement. She firmly believes that creativity is a birthright, not a privilege. “When art becomes exclusive, we lose vital voices, stories, and truths,” she explains.
By anchoring her practice in skills-sharing, dialogue, and collaboration, she ensures the ripple effect of her work reaches far beyond her studio walls.
In a world that often feels rushed and rigid, The Art Lab offers a rare invitation: to slow down, to play, and to remember the quiet power of expression. Through her work, Mekgwe is not just cultivating artists, she is nurturing a more connected, compassionate society.
