The National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) has revived the Arts Development Fund, which was disbanded at the advert of dollarisation.
By Brenna Matendere
The development follows intense lobbying by stakeholders in the local arts sector who pleaded with government to set up a command arts and culture fund to enable the sector to catch up with the rest of world.
Speaking at an arts seminar organised by Africa Innovation Trust in partnership with Jive Zimbabwe in Harare last month, players in the arts industry bemoaned government’s failure to facilitate growth of the sector.
Veteran actor and filmmaker Stephen Chigorimbo said government support was the missing link to unlocking potential of the arts industry.
NACZ director Nicholas Moyo recently responded to the call during an arts Indaba held in Gweru, saying the fund was being put together and players would start to benefit from it soon.
“I have good news for artistes. The Arts Development Fund is going to be relaunched soon. We have already roped in experts and technocrats to help ensure that the fund retains its past successes where talented students can have their education paid for from the fund,” said Moyo.
“I am very hopeful that in the coming two years we are going to experience great development in the arts sector because artistes will be having a fund to cushion them.”
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Moyo also said devolution, which is being implemented by government, would make access to the fund by artistes out of Harare easier.
“We have all heard the President [Emmerson Mnangagwa] speaking about devolution. What that means is that the arts fund will be accessed in provinces and people will not have to go to Harare. That is going to make things even better for people who are talented in arts, but stay in remote areas,” he said.
To date, the Culture Fund is the only resource centre that has been assisting artistes. However, in recent times it has become inactive, thus leaving talented artistes in financial doldrums.
