Point Black is excited to announce that it has partnered with the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe to produce its monthly newsletter for all stakeholders in the country’s Arts Sector. Point Black will be handling all design duties while assisting the NACZ on the editorial content and distribution of the newsletter.

We at Point Black have always strived to find ways to work with the Arts and Creative sector and this partnership is one of the ways we hope will lead to tangible results and growth to the people that need it most.

The first edition of the newsletter is available below and can be downloaded as a PDF or viewed on our website below.

DIRECTOR’S REMARKS

Welcome Message

Welcome to our latest newsletter! The first edition of 2024. This comes in our quest to serve the Creative and Cultural Industry in the most effective and efficient way, keeping the sector up to date with local, regional and global programs. As we continue to navigate the ever-changing landscape of the arts, I am thrilled to share with you the exciting developments and achievements from the month of September.

This is the last month of our 3rd quarter, and we are glad to have covered good ground in delivering our mandate and executing the planned programs for the year also taking into consideration new initiatives that are critical for the survival of Zimbabwe’s CCI. Our mission remains steadfast: to promote, support, and celebrate the vibrant arts community that makes our country thrive.”

Highlighting Key Initiatives

We kickstarted the month of September with an exciting unveiling of a new website www.nacz.co.zw.

The 1st of September was a day to note on our calendar as it was the day the site went live. The motive behind this revamped platform was to provide a user-friendly platform, starting from the domain itself. We made it shorter and easier to remember. The site also provides information on opportunities that are available for the various sectors we serve. We envision a site which can act as a 24-hour one-stop shop that provides instant solutions to our stakeholders in the near future.

In another milestone achievement, we are overwhelmed by the successful signing of a memorandum of understanding with the National Arts Council of South Africa. On 9 September 2024, I was welcomed by NACSA’s Interim Chief Executive Officer, Ms Julie Diphofa, to the NACSA Head Office in Newtown, Johannesburg, where the MoU was formally signed. This partnership represents a key milestone in enhancing cultural ties between South Africa and Zimbabwe. 

The partnership will focus on several key areas, including:

• Cultural and Creative Exchange Programs

• Heritage Preservation Initiatives

• Arts Education, including Residencies and Partnerships

• Institutional Exchanges, Internships, and Training

• Research and Development in the arts sector

The MoU will bolster relations between the two councils, creating reciprocal benefits for Zimbabwean and South African artists. Ms. Diphofa also emphasised the importance of knowledge exchange and mutual learning, particularly in strengthening NACSA’s policy framework while supporting NACZ in enhancing its funding model.

As we step into the 4th quarter, we guarantee Zimbabwe an exciting season of exhibiting our creative and cultural diversity. Thank you for your continued support and passion for the arts. Together, we can foster a vibrant, inclusive, and creative community for all.

NACZ PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES 

By Mrs Barbara Gotore - The Assistant Director of Arts Promotion and Development

Dear valued stakeholders of the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe. Thank you trusting us with the role to champion arts development in our country. The month of September has been a hive of activity in our programming department as we knit together the needs and wants of our creatives, at the same time regulating to make sure there is a level playing field for our creatives to thrive. We are excited to share updates on our latest initiatives. 

Program Highlights

CCI Training

This month the council held 2 successful CCI training workshops in Mutare on Friday 13 September and Masvingo province on Saturday 21 September. These are part of our capacity-building initiative to equip the sector with knowledge on how to run their craft as viable business entities and we are proud of the outstanding participation and engagement. 

Belarus Engagement for Film

Zimbabwe will be participating in the Minsk International Film Festival Listapad in Belarus from the 1st to the 8th of November 2024. The programme of the festival will include 7 competitive screenings, screenings of out-of-competition, creative meetings, workshops and other events. On the 5th of November, the evening is deliberately dedicated to screening a film from Zimbabwe among other events that will be showcased by Zimbabwe. Local film practitioners have shown keen interest by submitting their work for consideration at the festival. We look forward to a great display by those that have been chosen.

Chibuku Road to Fame

The annual talent search programme in partnership with Delta Beverages’ Chibuku brand is now a permanent and prominent feature on the country’s entertainment calendar. It has seen the emergence of renounced musicians like First Farai, Progress Chipfumo, Romeo Gasa to mention just a few.

The programme used to be perceived as a Sungura-dominated platform but in recent years, youthful outfits that play distinct genres have taken the lead. These include Terry & The Bliss, an Afro Jazz outfit from the Midlands province, Club Shanga - an Afro-Fusion ensemble emerging from the Cherutombo township of Marondera and Travelers Band, which is shaking the entertainment. They have just toured Italy in September. This year’s edition of Chibuku Road to Fame roared into life on Saturday 28 September when the initial provincial competitions were held. 

Clinching the Harare province title was an Afro-Fusion group called The Outlaws. Mazwi and ZCM took the 2nd and 3rd prizes respectively. Matabeleland South also hosted the competitions at Malaxo Beer Hall in Beitbridge. In the 1st position was Fugees Band, a Sungura ensemble, followed by Bolamba Culture Birds in 2nd, and Siyabangena Gangsters in the 3rd position. The 1st Saturday of October will see Mashonaland Central and Midlands province Hosting their Competitions. We look forward to a fun-filled season of talent search and empowerment in this coming quarter.

National Film Strategy

The drafting of the Film Strategy document was a successful process with consultations and validation by the sector players from the country’s 10 provinces. As we prepare for the launch of this blueprint, we are looking forward to an upward transition of the film sector where the local industry will never be the same. Regional counterparts like South Africa and Nigeria are perfect examples of how film can be used both as a tool to tell the national narrative and as a huge revenue earner for the practitioners. The film strategy document has 9 pillars that will be unpacked and implemented at different intervals towards achieving the set goals by the year 2030. The consolidation of this document was a collaborative effort from established film practitioners across the nation. 

Zimbabwe’s Visual Art makes an impact at FNB Joburg Fair

The 17th edition of FNB Art Joburg VIP Preview saw Zimbabwean visual artists demonstrating their creative prowess by exhibiting top-notch and high-quality pieces that stole the hearts of many. First Floor Gallery were among the exhibitors, and they gave a scintillating representation of what Zimbabwe has to offer. Zimbabwean music act Bantu Spaceships also belted an “electrifying” performance at one of the official FNB Art Joburg after parties, hosted at Untitled Basement.

Visual art from Zimbabwe has taken great strides in penetrating the international market. Misheck Masamvu had a solo exhibition with the Goodman Gallery in New York City, while Moffat Takadiwa, whose work is included in a group show at Southern Guild Los Angeles California, headed to Paris after a successful tour in Romania. Kresiah Mukwazhi will be having a solo exhibition at Schultze Projects in Germany.

Fame Week Capetown

Zimbabwe participated at Fame Week Africa in Capetown South Africa during the first week of September. This is a high-level networking platform that brings together co-related events focusing on the major creative economies, namely film, television and animation as well as music. The event saw our local creatives mingling with international guru’s like Anele Mdoda and Steve Harvey.

Fashion designer Danayi Madondo of Haus of Stone showcased an impressive collection of sustainable apparel proudly produced in Zimbabwe

September the Month of Mbira Music

Mbira Month is a month-long event celebrating mbira in all its facets worldwide every September. The Art of crafting and playing the Mbira was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2020. The instrument, also known as thumb piano, is uniquely African and has been played for more than 1000 years and is integral to the traditions and cultural identity of the Shona people of Zimbabwe.

The instrument, which consists of a wooden board with attached staggered metal tines, is found in various forms, namely mbira nyunganyunga, njari mbira, nhare, mbira matepe and mbira dzavadzimu. 

As part of celebrating this proudly Zimbabwean musical instrument this month, promoter Partson ‘Chipaz’ Chimboza of Chipaz Promotions joined hands with the Government of Zimbabwe in hosting a mbira show dubbed ‘Bira reMbira’ at Gwanzura Stadium, Machipisa Shopping Centre, Highfield, on 27 September in commemoration of Mbira Month.

The Bira ReMbira Inaugural Festival ran from 4pm till early morning on Saturday 28 September. This immersive festival was an authentic experience of traditional music, dance, and spiritual connection, honouring the age-old mbira tradition.

The Festival was a vibrant gathering of local mbira players, traditional dancers, and cultural enthusiasts. The guest of honor as well as invited dignitaries were also seen partaking in the day’s events including drinking the traditional beer and dancing on the stage to the vibrant performances.

Running under the theme “Our Identity, Our Pride; Bringing out the Humanity in our Culture and Heritage”, the event indeed brought together generations. The young and the old appreciated and celebrated our Culture through performances by the pupils as well as vanaGwenyambira.

The event recorded an estimate of 8,500 people. Among the attendees was the Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Sport,Recreation, Arts and Culture Honourable Emily Jesaya, the Permanent Secretary, Mr Nicholas Moyo and NACZ Executive Director Mr Napoleon Nyanhi.

Chivavarira National Mbira Music, Arts and Culture, under Nhakayepasi Trust, also unveiled the Gunyana Bira rembira in honour of the musical instrument as part of our national pride.

The Return of Festival Culture in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe’s arts and culture landscape has some permanent dents that created lasting memories for art lovers in the country and HIFA is a huge example. Since then it looked like festival culture was suffering a slow extinction. September 2024 has brought so much hope to the sector with the running of a number of arts and culture festivals running. 

Love Faith Fest is an outdoor Christian festival focused on celebrating love, faith, and community. The venue is Farm at Art in Harare, Zimbabwe, the festival features a diverse lineup of music, poetry, and comedy to inspire and connect people of faith

Harare was abuzz with excitement as the inaugural Oliver Mtukudzi International Festival (OMIFA) roared into life. The Festival took place on 21 and 22 September at Pakare Paye Arts Centre, in Norton. The event brought together an impressive line-up of local artists who dazzled the audiences with an eclectic mix of genres and styles, reflecting Oliver Mtukudzi’s diverse influences and collaborations.

Other festivals that took place were, the inaugural Zimbabwe Jazz Festival headed by the Swiss ensemble NNAVY and the official launch of the Stanbic Jacaranda Music Festival to be held in the 1st week of October. The Shoko Festival also ran from 26 to 28 September.

The Matabeleland North Province also hosted the inaugural BaTonga Cultural Festival. This was the event’s second year on September 26-29, 2024, and it was a captivating showcase of Tonga heritage and a catalyst for economic growth. The festival showcased the rich tapestry of Tonga culture through music, dance, exhibitions, and community engagement. More than 10 artists from Binga and several more from across Zimbabwe and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region took the stage, including notable names like Isaac Moral and Delampuli express, Insimbi zeZhwane, and Teacher Lucky, a popular Zambian comedian known for his Tonga performances.

The theme for the 2024 festival, “Celebrating Heritage and Unlocking Value Chains Through Tourism Opportunity for Communities,” underscores its dual focus on cultural preservation and economic development. 

Shoko Festival 2024

Shoko Festival was an exceptional experience in bringing the curtains down to the entertainment-infested month of September. The 14th Edition took place from the 26th to the 28th of September 2024 in Harare & Chitungwiza with the running theme “Both Sides of Samora.” The festival has been instrumental in celebrating Zimbabwe's rich urban culture and diverse soundscape.

Zimbabwean international performers, Learnmore Jonasi & Nadia Nakai stole the limelight and proved why their influence has grown beyond the country’s borders. Local entertainers also gave revellers good value for their money and demonstrated the artistic genius that we have in urban culture.

International Images Film Festival for Women

ICAPA Trust hosted the 21st edition of the International Images Film Festival for Women (IIFF) in the last week of August in Harare this year. The week was packed with activities for film lovers, filmmakers and general audiences ranging from screenings to Masterclasses and launches.

The National Gallery of Zimbabwe (NGZ) hosted the opening ceremony with the South Sudanese full-length fiction film GOODBYE JULIA (2023) directed by Mohamed Kordofani. In this bittersweet drama, after covering up a murder case which involves her husband, housewife Mona reaches out in friendship to the victim’s family with life-changing consequences. The public enjoued IIFF’s selection of 60 films at Batanai Mall (B2C), Alliance Française, Dzivarasekwa Community Hall and Hatcliffe Community Hall. All screenings and events were free, although some events were by invitation only.

Jonasi scoops 5th position at the AGT

Zimbabwean comedian Learnmore Jonasi has made it to the finals of television show, America’s Got Talent. The Season 19 finale. He is the 1st Zimbabwean creative to reach this stage at such a global competition. Learnmore Manyenyeka (born 22 August 1993) was formerly known in the comedy circles as Long John the Comedian and is now known professionally as Learnmore Jonasi. He has won the 2019 National Arts Merit Awards as the Outstanding Comedian of the Year and the 2019 Savanna Comic Choice Awards as the Pan African Comic of the Year. He was the People’s Choice Award winner in Steve Harvey’s Stand Up Spotlight competition in 2019. In 2020 he won the National Arts Merit Awards as the Outstanding Comedian of the Year. The sky is certainly not the limit for him and we believe more is yet to come from him.

NAMA AWARDS

National Arts Council Hunts For New NAMA Event Manager

– By 263Culture

The National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) is on the hunt for a new professional events management company to run the National Arts Merit Awards (NAMA) from next year. At a recently held press conference, NACZ director Napoleon Nyanhi indicated that Jacaranda Culture Media Corporation‘s tenure as the event manager for the prestigious awards was coming to an end.

“I would like to thank Jacaranda Culture Media Corporation for a sterling job as the events manager of the awards ceremony during their tenure,” said Nyanhi.“This coming edition will be their last, so NACZ has already started the process of looking for a new events manager to take over from them. A call for expression of interest will be published in the media very soon.”

That call of interest has now been published with the arts body indicating the requirements for interested parties.“NACZ is calling for an expression of interest by professional Events Management Companies to be contracted as NAMA Event Manager for a specified period of five years.”

The contracted company is expected to match regional and international standards in terms of hosting top notch arts awards ceremonies.The ideal candidate is supposed to demonstrate a solid track record in managing large-scale events, with the ability to infuse fresh ideas into the NAMA concept while maintaining a strong focus on resource acquisition and efficient time management.

NAMA Event Manager Key Attributes

Besides possessing the requisite qualities of a good corporate citizen in terms of the Zimbabwean business laws, the successful events management company is expected to exhibit the following attributes:

• Creativity – Creating and infusing new ideas into NAMA as a concept.

• Resourcefulness – Capability to attract resources both material and financial from diverse sources.

• Time Management – Robust time  management skills are a prerequisite.

• Flexibility – Arts events by their nature are very dynamic and require dexterity and  flexibility and impromptu decision-making capabilities.

• Communication – Effective communication skills at all levels of the NAMA process.

• Extensive Networking – Capability to create resourceful relationships with key 
  stakeholders (sponsors, partners) who add value to NAMA.

Proof of previous successful events managed in the last 5 years

Interested companies are invited to submit their expression of interest by 30 September 2024.

Submissions should include an application letter and a detailed company profile, outlining relevant experience, particularly in managing similar high-profile events over the past five years.

Applications should be directed to the Director of the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe, either in person at the Mtshane Khumalo Complex, Upper East Road Mt Pleasant in Harare or via email at vacancies@nacz.org.

NAMA CALL FOR ENTRIES.

DEADLINE 30 NOVEMBER 2024

The National Arts Council of Zimbabwe is calling artists to submit work that has been produced from 1 December 2023 to 30 November 2024 for participation in the NAMA Awards.

Submissions can be done physically at the NACZ offices around Zimbabwe or online through this link

More information on the categories for nomination can be found on our website here