Bigger, better HIFA lined-up

To be held under the theme ‘Enligh10ment”, HIFA 2009 will celebrate the festival’s 10th anniversary. This year’s theme invites audience members to be part of diverse creative perspectives that bring to light who they are and where they are going, both individually and as a community.
“The theme reflects HIFA’s continued dedication to using the Arts to unify Zimbabweans regardless of age, gender or cultural differences,” said Tafadzwa Simba, an official with HIFA.
Running from  the 28th April until the 3rd of May, HIFA 2009 will not simply celebrate the Festival’s 10th anniversary, but also the communal solidarity and resilience demonstrated by Zimbabweans over that last 10 years. The six-day international festival has been ranked as one of the top ten festivals in Africa.
HIFA’s organisers have promised to continue this year with the tradition of excellence, and bring to the Harare Gardens and surrounding venues the best in world-class Artistic entertainment.
Besides the applied art and craft, musical, spoken word and theatrical performances, HIFA 2009 features an innovative visual arts programme. This programme has been expanded to include new and exciting exhibits and shows which will undoubtedly surprise and intrigue audiences. In addition, the Festival will have its annual series of workshops for both primary and secondary school children in which they will explore all manner of artistic expression especially in their everyday lives.
Heralded by much pomp and fanfare, every year the festival seems to grow bigger and better. Audiences anxiously anticipate the opening of the HIFA Box Offices, which are open in advance of the public opening for the Festival’s loyalty club members known as hifAmigos. Last year, the Festival brought several headline acts including the South African phenomenon Freshlyground to thrill and delight Zimbabwean audiences with their mixture of traditional, violin, soft rock and kwela music. Their performance was among the shows whose tickets sold out in no time, leaving many to rue not having subscribed to be eligible for the advance ticket purchases.