Zimbabwe has generally relegated the music industry to being a hobby. Is it not time for the industry to develop professionalism? If so, there is therefore, a need for the education system to give the industry professionalism through defining the boundaries, standards and ethical codes. That needs to be followed.
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When Stephen Joel Chifunyise became permanent secretary in the ministry of Education, Sport and Culture from 1997 to 2000, he asked all arts organisations in the country to come up with a policy framework which would give the organisations, including the music industry, direction. I and many other artists thought that this was a very noble idea and I spent weeks drafting what I thought would be music policy for Zimbabwe. Chifunyise was hoping to turn our ideas into a white paper which would be debated in Parliament. However, he is no longer the permanent secretary and that thinking collapsed as soon as he left the ministry. Today, 17 years later, there is still no music policy in Zimbabwe. Is it because there are some musicians who are critical of the government or no one in government is interested in advancing this cause?
In my draft paper, I listed 13 points which I was hoping would influence the music policy in Zimbabwe.
The need to increase the scope and quality of support for artists
This can be done in several ways such as:
- Maintaining support for the continuing professional development of musicians and increasing funding for recording, creativity and new work;
- Continuing to support professional musicians, teachers and organisations to develop and improve their professional practice and ability to deliver high quality music-making activities for the people;
- Developing the music industry infrastructure in Zimbabwe, including key promoters, agents, venues and festivals;
- Advising on management, publishing and recording contracts;
- Maintaining support for our sector forum development programme, now encompassing rhumba, sungura, chimurenga, traditional music, jazz and contemporary popular music
- Promoting popular Zimbabwean musicians internationally, and at many other national and international symposiums.
Security in the foundation of Zimbabwe’s artistic development
A strategic review of the music industry should agree on funding in principle on a five-year cycle where organisations which have a key role in creating and presenting work of high-quality locally and nationally are presented.
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A music centre should be created, which will form both the major international information hub for the music industry in Zimbabwe and the repository of music with archive and interactive hire facilities available on line. All internal enquiries on Zimbabwean music should be addressed by this centre.
Supporting the new and innovative efforts of emerging artists
An environment where the new and the innovative artists can flourish should be created. A platform for new artists to showcase their talents should be created and a pool of project and programme funding, which will allow more flexible investment should be set up.
The following areas should be targeted:
Key promoters: This is where music festival organisers together with the rest of music promoters throughout Zimbabwe, should get together and formulate strategies on how music should be promoted in the country.
Festivals and venues: Festivals such as Harare International Festival of the Arts, Chimanimani Festival and Miombo Magic Festival should be held in different parts of the country where every invited artist is given an opportunity to perform in front of thousands of people which will enable him/her to gain confidence while showcasing their new work and creativity.
Airplay: New recorded works should be encouraged through airplay where radio stations play new weekly releases to show the progress being made in the industry.
Touring: Musicians through their promoters, should be encouraged to tour many countries in order to showcase their musical skills and to promote their own country, thus act as ambassadors for Zimbabwe.
Genre-centred music: Whether it is contemporary popular music, traditional music, zimdancehall or jazz, each genre should find its audience as the musicians tour around the world; venues must therefore be created for such genres.
New pathways and support structures for young musicians, bands and acts who are engaging in music-making independently through their own exploration should be developed through funding for all.
Government, instead of taking money away from artists, should find alternative ways of supporting the arts. For instance, they could talk to Ministries of Culture and other non-governmental organisations such as Culture Fund to increase its funding.
Support for the unions of musicians
Organisations such as the union of musicians which aim to represent musicians, negotiate on their behalf and improve their standing within the music industry, and help individual members should be created. They should be committed to trying to improve the “status and remuneration of musicians both absolutely and relatively”. Services to their members should include general benevolent assistance, sickness or accident benefit, legal advice (contracts advisory service), instrument insurance, assistance in recovering unpaid fees from music promoters, a media rights collection and distribution service and regular seminars, clinics and workshops on the music business. The union will require funding to advance these activities.
Co-operation with partners
There should be a culture of co-operation between partners and the arts community. This should be done through a forum that supports and develop strategic music partnerships in the country.
The transition to creative and educated Zimbabwe
The formal process of merging the roles and responsibilities of musicians with those of government bodies should begin with the formation of a new board, whose members are drawn from experienced persons within the music industry and from government’s cultural ministries. There is urgent need for the development of a deliberate policy framework that positions education as the driver of the creative industries since success depends on the development and empowerment of the creative arts.
Curbing of piracy
There is no doubt that music piracy affects record stores, record companies and their artistes. It is reported that online music piracy alone has caused some record stores sales to drop by 20% every year. Over 2,6 billion downloads of copyrighted music files have been reported worldwide on a monthly basis. Because music piracy continues to harm the industry, it means that both record stores and record companies have reduced income and the artistes have very little or no royalties at all. Consequently, government fails to get any taxes due to them from recording companies. Further implications are that record companies begin to reduce their budget expenditures and may even get to the point of retrenching their staff. It also stifles their need to invest in new musicians. Strategies to stop this practice should be formulated. Harsh penalties such as arresting those who buy pirated music must be put in place.
Safeguarding musical interests
Ensuring the safeguarding, respect and protection of the moral and professional interests of music industry practitioners through educational programmes.
Solidarity with international music organisations
Engaging in solidarity action financed in various ways to enable certain members, or future members, to have access to modern music management techniques and skills under the most favourable conditions and thus to foster such members’ collaboration with all progressive international music bodies.
Respecting economic and legal interests
Watching over and contributing to the respecting of the economic and legal interests of music industry practitioners and their clients, both in the local and international arena.
Protection of copyright and Zimbabwean culture
Working for the advancement of, and recognition of, the importance of copyright and the value of intellectual property not only in economic terms but also as the protector of culture and of those who create it.
Protection of music rights
Fostering the awareness of the importance of the rights of artistes as the creators of copyright, and therefore of culture, of the essential role which managers play in protecting the rights and role of their clients in this regard, and by extension the essential role of especially featured artistes as the generators of musical culture throughout the world.
Networking
Creating networking opportunities for music industry practitioners to exchange information and knowledge such that the professionalism and expertise of the community of music managers is enhanced and reinforced.
It is therefore imperative for the government of Zimbabwe through its ministries of Culture, Tourism and Education to start wide consultations on the policy framework towards the consolidation of the music industry.
If these suggestions are discussed and implemented, many artists will be happy campers.
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