Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. IN a creative world bursting with talent yet often stifled by policy fog, Chenhaka Trust has stepped in like a maestro with a megaphone amplifying the voices of Zimbabwe’s artists with its powerful new initiative: Shaping the Future of Zimbabwe’s Creative Sector.
At a lively gathering at Harare’s Alliance Francaise, filled with the electric buzz of artistic ambition and institutional presence, the trust unveiled its mission to train 40 artists from across Zimbabwe’s 10 provinces and not just to perform, but to influence policy also.
Taurai Moyo, Chenhaka Trust director, said the Shaping the Future of Zimbabwe’s Creative Sector project sought to attain harmony through empowering artists and cultural leaders to influence policy decisions affecting the arts and cultural sector.
Moyo begged for stakeholder support for Chenhaka’s initiative, especially the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) and relevant government authorities, in selecting 40 candidates from the country’s 10 provinces for training.
He said the Shaping the future of Zimbabwe’s Creative Sector project was well received by creatives from various arts domains and several dignitaries at a meeting held at the Alliance Francaise in Harare.
The guests included Biggie Samwanda, cultural director in the Sport, Arts, Recreation and Culture ministry, Napoleon Nyanhi, chief executive officer of NACZ, William Ndinde, Harare provincial manager (NACZ), Tafara Terrence Bvuta (NACZ), Fortunate Jakopo (African diplomat) and representatives from the City of Harare.
A presentation by Reginald Tinavapi, programmes officer, Chenhaka Trust, indicated that the project empowers artists and cultural leaders to influence policy decisions affecting the arts and culture sector. The project includes capacity-building training for 40 artists, a 2-day national policy dialogue indaba and a live performance event to be held in Nyanga.
“The expected outcomes include increased capacity for policy dialogue, improved policy environment, increased access to funding and resources, adoption of African instruments in ECD curriculum and improved infrastructure for artists. The project aims to create a more supportive environment for the creative sector in Zimbabwe, promoting growth and development of the arts and culture industry,” Tinavapi said.
In his solidarity message, Nyanhi said it was everyone’s collective roadmap to transition from a sector characterised by potential to one defined by sustainable prosperity, global competitiveness, and profound cultural impact.
“The NACZ was established to develop, promote and regulate the arts. This project is the embodiment of development. It moves us from ad hoc support to structured, systemic capacity building,” he said.
“Our national development strategies, including National Development Strategy 1, emphasise economic diversification, job creation and youth empowerment. The creative industries are a prime vehicle for this. This project positions NACZ as a key contributor to national economic goals, moving the sector from the periphery to the centre of the economic agenda.”
Samwanda expressed optimism on the relevance of the project, labelling it a landmark programme as it takes care of all arts domains while embracing inclusivity.
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