National Arts and Culture Indaba Bearing Fruits Arts organizations are already working on various projects that were facilitated by this year’s National Arts and Culture Indaba which was held at Margolis Resort on 30-31 October 2013 under the theme “Turning Around the Arts and Culture for Sustainable Socio-economic Empowerment”. National Arts and Culture Indaba is a national arts and culture strategy dialogue held annually to discuss, deliberate and recommend specific courses of action in the creative industries. It is a platform for stakeholders in the arts and culture sector to meet and dialogue on issues affecting the development and future of the sector, as well as taking stock of sector achievements. The objectives of this year’s Indaba were • To provide an interactive platform for sectoral representation by key players in the sector • To bring together sectoral representatives to review sectoral trends with a view to mapping development strategies on an annual basis • To interrogate investment opportunities for the sector for sustainable economic growth • To propose functional structures in the sector that enable collective voice and action for sectoral development Already some institutions are already working on various projects that were borne through the networks that were created by the Indaba. Pamberi Trust in partnership with Zimbabwe Applied Arts and Craft Association (ZAACA) are organizing a Craft Fair scheduled on 21 December 2013, from 11am-6pm at Book Café. Thereafter, the fair will be held every third Saturday through 2014. This project is a practical outcome of the Indaba. Apart from the Pamberi Trust Craft Fair, Mr Albert Chimedza the owner of the Mbira Centre and Chairman of Chamber of Creative Industries, a product of the discursive forum as well and Diana Chidede the trainer and coordinator at Leonard Cheshire Disability who both attended the Indaba, are organizing a Mbira fundraising concert whose proceeds will purchase instruments for use by the musicians living with disabilities at Leonard Cheshire Disability in Westhood in the capital. Also Mr Chimedza, a Mbira guru will also train mbira players at the institution. These are some of the projects that are on course as a result of artists having networked at the Indaba. NACZ objective as well was to propose functional structures in the sector that enable collective voice and action for sectoral development. An Apex body called Chamber of Creative Industries (CCI) was formed, comprising of 9 members which are Mr Albert Chimedza (Chairman), Mr Herman Chimsoro (Secretary), Mr Cont Mhlanga, Mr Pathisa Nyathi, Ms Chipo Nzonzo, Ms Daisy Jeremani, Mr Raisedon Baya, Mr Partson Chimbodza and Mr Josh Nyapimbi. Some of the expected deliverables of the CCI proposed at the Indaba include; • Develop a National Plan of Action for the creative industry with list of planned activities and their estimated budgets. The Roadmap to have long term and short term plans for the sector. • Be the key liaison body between the sector and government and all other stakeholders by coming up with ways of increasing engagement forums and other sectors of the economy. • Lobby for better prioritization of the culture sector by Government and private sector so as to improve access to financial resources to enable the sector to realise its full growth potential. It should be the resource mobilisation think tank of the sector that works hand in glove with the NACZ just like what the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce does for industry and commerce. • Recognition and protection of the right of artists as creative and professional workers in their chosen fields. • Collaborate with NACZ, other arts and culture statutory bodies and the rest of sector in producing a national calendar of events. • To lobby for the speeding up of the policy review process of the National Heritage, Arts and Culture Sector Policy. • Collaborate with NACZ and other arts and culture statutory bodies in producing a framework for professionalising the arts, e.g. codes of conduct, setting standards and policies for industry practitioners and investors. 2013 Indaba was well attended with all key players from all the arts genres having attended the two- day discursive forum. They discussed pertinent issues that are crippling the arts and culture sector and came up with resolutions that will foster arts promotion and development. Among those who attended were Oliver Mtukudzi, Cont Mhlanga, Daves Guzha, Mrs Doreen Sibanda, Partson Chimbodza (Chipaz promotions), Prof. Hebert Chimhundu, Raisedon Baya, Pathisa Nyathi, Maria Wilson and Paul Brickhill among others. The Indaba was officially opened by the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Hon. Andrew Langa and officially closed by the Permanent Secretary of the Sport, Arts and Culture ministry, Dr Thokozile Chitepo. National Arts Council of Zimbabwe continue to urge all the artists, arts administrators, investors and stakeholders who attended to share their experiences with the rest of the industry as well as follow through some of the expectations and resolutions of the Indaba.
Posted on: Wed, 20 Nov 2013 06:51:54 +0000
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