Noria Mabaso emphasized the lack of support from both the Provincial and National Department in terms of funding, marketing and exhibition of the Centre. She is left with only 6 students, others have left due to lack of marketing and publicity for their products or crafts. As grateful as she was about the construction of the Arts Centre, she found it unacceptable that she was not receiving further grants to maintain the building, fund her students and market her products. She informed the delegation that the Department visited her over three times making empty promises about her next funding. She was very emotional about the lack of support from both Provincial and National Department. She stated that during President Thabo Mbeki's term of office the Centre received support from the Department. She revealed that the former President even took her to Belgium. The former President also unveiled one of her sculptures in the Union Buildings.