A dinner and a dance for Zim celebs

Most of the performance venues are run-down and there are virtually no arts centres to talk about, a situation which has caused many artistes to resort to make-shift venues with minimal conditions for shows or exhibitions.
Speaking in an interview with The Financial Gazette during the inaugural Celebrities Dinner Dance in Harare last week, NACZ director, Elvas Mari, said most halls in the country are now dilapidated and that there were no council halls where artistes can perform or display their wares.
“We would have liked the Harare City Council to come up with its own arts centre where artistes can put up their artefacts, but you will find that most artistes display their products on road sides,” he said adding that there isn’t any city council where artistes can perform because they are no longer in good state.
He said the major challenges facing the NACZ is funding. He said artistes do not have access to bank loans because they are considered unattractive clients.
On the contrary, he said, Zimbabwean arti-stes are “reliable and very trustworthy” and should be afforded the opportunity to access loans from banks.
Mari said the talent is there in the Zimbabwean arts as well as professionalism and creative content so much that the arts industry, if given the necessary support, can grow.
“We need a paradigm shift in the way we do things in Zimb-abwe.
“Look at what happens in other countries the world over in developing the artistic potential . . . it is a requirement under the UNESCO for countries to commit at least one percent of the budget to the development of the arts,” he said.
“Artistes have been recognised since time immemorial and we believe this is the time our artistes are recognised and given a place in our communities.”
NACZ, in partnership with the corporate world, hosted the dinner dance, which bro-ught together artistes from the different areas of the arts.
He said the event aimed at celebrating those artistes who have made the creative genius in their various areas of artistry and to encourage corporates to become the engine of growth for the arts in the country.
Mari said: “This dinner dance is both an acknowledgement and encouragement for the corporate to invest in the arts especially the upcoming players to ensure continued successful products.”
He said the event, which would be regular feature in future if the corporate sector continues to render its helping hand, “provides a platform for corporates and the arts sector to network.
“The environment was carefully planned to birth business partnerships and/ or appreciation of the sides of the same business coin.”
The event was attended by the Minister of Education, Arts, Sport and Culture, David Coltart, his permanent secretary, Stephen Mahere and NACZ board chairperson, Thokozile Chit-epo.
Artistes in attendance included acco-mplished musicians such as Tendai Mupfu-rutsa aka Prince Tendai, Alick Macheso, the Charambas, sculptor Dominic Benhura, film and TV actor Aaron Chiundura-Moyo, among many others. Oliver Mtukudzi did not attend, though he had been invited, probably due to the recent tragic loss of his son, Sam.
Mari said the dinner dance, which would be taken to other provi-nces of the country, aimed at instilling discipline, professionalism and resilience as the pillars for success in the sector.
He said the next stop would be Bulawayo
He said for the selection of artistes to attend the dinner dance, corporates were asked to choose from the NACZ register the artiste they would be interested in inviting.
Prince Tendai gave a vote of thanks and mentioned that though he was doubtful at first to attend the event, he didn’t regret it.
Dudu Manhenga teamed up with Prud-ence Katomeni-Mbo-fana on stage for the entertainment.
The event was made possible by the following organisations: Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe, Delta Bev-erages, Econet Wire-less, Botswana Emba-ssy, FBC Bank, Portnet, TelOne, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority and the NACZ.