From 9-21 September 2023, twelve artists attended an Artists’ Retreat at Baker’s Bay in the Tsau //Khaeb (Sperrgebiet) National Park. This retreat is the third of its kind and is sponsored by Namdeb and the OMDis Town Transform Agency. As part of OMDis’ Art Can Transform project, an Artists’ Retreat was held at Bogenfels in 2021 and at Baker’s Bay in 2022. This important, annual event brings artists into an area of Namibia that is largely still inaccessible and provides an opportunity for them to live and work together, focussing on the unique history and environment of the National Park. Through the final exhibition of the artworks in Oranjemund and again in Windhoek a wider audience is provided with a unique view into the area that they would otherwise never have had access to. 

For the 2023 retreat artists from four different towns in Namibia were invited including, Wil-Merie Greyling (Swakopmund), Immanuel Chiete (Oranjemund), Julia Nakashwa Hango (Swakopmund), Elisia Nghidishange (Omaruru), Ismael Shivute (Windhoek), Natache Sylvia Iilonga (Windhoek), Tity Kalala Tshilumba (Windhoek), Nicky Marais (Oranjemund), Lila Swanepoel (Windhoek). The retreat was also pleased to host three artists from outside Namibia; Anita Sambanje (Angola), Jeannette Unite (South Africa) and Line Krom (Germany).