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NACZ MOURNS VETERAN JOURNALIST AND NAMA ADJUDICATOR FOSTER DONGOZI

The National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) wishes to express its most sincere condolences to the Dongozi family, stakeholders and practitioners in media industry following the passing on of Foster Dongozi the Secretary-General of the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ).

Dongozi served diligently as an adjudicator for the National Arts Merit Awards (NAMA) and in the past 4-years he was the chairperson of the Journalism sub-committee.

He was part of the team that the NACZ consulted in the introduction of the Journalism category at the National Arts Merit Awards (NAMA).

The passing of Dongozi has left a huge void in the journalism sector as he was always at the forefront of the fight to improve the conditions of service for media practitioners in Zimbabwe.

As NACZ we will surely miss his direction and insight in the NAMA adjudication process to which he dedicated his time and passion to make sure that only the best proponents of the arts in the media were rewarded.

May his soul Rest in Eternal Peace

THEATRE IN THE PARK HARARE HOSTS MBEU

Mbeu and The Mhodzi Tribe Band are set to perform at the third and final concert of the Music in Africa Live Series at Theatre-in-the-Parkthis Friday the 11th of December 2020 only at from 6:30 PM to 8 PM.

The Music in Africa Live was opened by the princess of mbira, Hope Masike who performed on the 30th of October.The second artist to perform was Bulawayo-based Jazz/Gospel star Vuyo Brown who performed on the 20th of November.

In a statement, Rooftop Promotions communications officer Passmore Ndlovu said the program was launched by the Music in Africa Foundation as a response to the effects of the global Covid-19 to the music industry and is aimed at offering financial support to operators, to enable them to create high-quality works and promote, market and showcase their content to a wider global audience, primarily via digital means.

” We have been the only recipients of this grant in the country and have so far implemented quite a number of arts development projects from national to regional level’, Ndlovu said.

The producer for Theatre in the Park Daves Guzha was excited about hosting Mbeu for the final concert.

“we couldn’t have asked for a better artist to do the honours of closing this very rewarding Music in Africa Live Concert. Arguably, Mbeu, is Zimbabwe’s highly gifted and fastest rising star” Guzha said.

Eugene Museredza, the Mhodzi Tribe band manager Meanwhile, said they were excited and very ready for the concert.

“We are very excited to be part of this program and having been selected to be the final act means we must bring our “A” game to the stge. We assure our loyal fans and new viewers an electrifying performance. We are ready” , he said.

The fast-rising star who was groomed at Pakare Paye Arts Centre will be closing down the Music in Africa Live concert with the show that will be streamed live on the Theatre in the Park Harare Facebook page. Performers for the Music in Africa series were carefully selected based on their experience and potential to go global with their music career.

NAMA 2021 DATE ANNOUNCED

The National Arts Merit Awards (NAMA) will be held on 27th February 2021 under the theme ‘Our Legacy, Our Pride’.

NACZ Director Mr Nicholas Moyo told journalists in Harare today that NAMA shall celebrate Zimbabwe’s 40th anniversary as well as the 35 years of National Arts Council existence.

“This will be a unique event in the sense that on the night we shall honour forty (40) legends as we celebrate 40 years of Independence, we therefore have dubbed it NAMA Legends Awards’, Mr Moyo said.

The Director said the Legends Awards provided for a strategic postponement of the competitive 20TH NAMA whose hosting hung on the balance due to COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns.

“The prestigious competitive annual awards are therefore postponed for a year owing to the impact of the COVID-19 disease on creativity and the arts sector in particular over the past 8 months. In reaching the decision to postpone the competitive NAMA, NACZ is cognisant of the fact that a lack of activity in the sector has greatly affected the ability of artists to create in their usual spaces”, he said.

Mr Moyo added that while the NACZ recognized that some arts disciplines were able to operate under the stringent lockdown conditions, the whole integrity of NAMA stood to be compromised in a situation where there were significant inhibitions to creativity created by the stringent lockdown regulations.

“In this regard the postponed NAMA will be held in February 2022 and will reward art works created in the period 1st December 2019 to 30th November 2021. This extended period is to allow artists to resume their operations in light of the relaxed COVID19 regulations”, the Director said.

Mr Moyo said by hosting the Legends Awards the NACZ desired to reflect on the developments in the Cultural and Creative Industries over the past 40 years and celebrate the achievements by providing honorary awards to the people who were influential during the period in shaping the various subsectors of the CCIs. The awards are a special honour and recognition to legendary creatives who have raised high the flag of the country over the stated period.

The legends Awards are meant to inspire practitioners in the sector which is reopening under the post COVID-19 conditions to take advantage of the new creative environment and get back to their creative spaces and produce artworks that will make them the future legends.

NACZ Mourns Veteran Actor Lazarus Boora “Gringo”

The National Arts Council of Zimbabwe says it has leant with shock and sadness news of the death of Veteran actor and comedian Lazarus Boora (47) popularly known as Gringo.

In a statement NACZ Director Mr Nicholas Moyo said Boora was a rare breed of comedian who was propelled to fame by the 1997 ZBCTV hit drama Series “Gringo” and he subsequently featured in other spin-offs of the show like “Gringo Ndiani” and “Gringo Mari Iripi”.

He recently starred as Gibbo in the ZTV series “Village Secrets”.

“Boora will be remembered forever as the master of local television with his signature makeshift khaki short, black vest, barefoot and his witty humour which kept millions of Zimbabweans glued to their television sets”, Moyo said.

Gringo’s television acting career began when he appeared on a TV commercial for Castle Lager and he later on worked for the now defunct Joy TV where he appeared on some TV shows.

In 2013 he reprised his role as Gringo for the big screen in the Movie Gringo “The Troublemaker”.

“The NACZ Management and staff would like to express their sincerest condolences to Amai Boora and the Boora family, the arts fraternity and the nation at large following the passing on of one of the country’s most recognisable television personalities. May his Soul rest in eternal peace”, the Director said.

NACZ HAILS WELL-WISHERS FOR SUPPORTING “GRINGO”

The National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) has hailed doctors and other well wishers who have come to the aid of popular actor and comedian Lazarus “Gringo” Boora who has since been hospitalized at a private health care facility in Ruwa.

Speaking during a visit to the comedian’s home in Hatfield yesterday, NACZ Deputy Director Mr Josiah Kusena thanked the private doctors who have extended a helping hand to the actor whose health had deteriorated as he did not have access to medical care which complicated his medical condition.

“As NACZ we are happy that these doctors and other well-wishers have chipped in to assist and we wish Gringo a speedy recovery so he can continue to entertain Zimbabweans with his brand of humour”, said Mr Kusena.
The veteran actor is fighting intestine obstruction, back and hearing problems after having undergone an appendix surgery in October last year.

In January the government through the NACZ presented groceries and an assortment of home consumables to the actor/comedian who was convalescing at his rural homestead in Rukweza after undergoing surgery.

CULTURAL AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES NATIONAL STRATEGY LAUNCHED

Government has launched the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI) strategy for the Period 2020 to 2030 which will guide the development and growth of the sector for it to become a critical player in the matrix of attaining an Upper Middle-Income Society as spelt out in Vision 2030.

In an online address to stakeholders to officially announce the policy, the Minister of Youth Sport Arts and Recreation Honourable Kirsty Coventry said the strategy identified ten pillars that need to be accorded immediate attention within the timelines given.

“Attending to these pillars will firmly position the CCIs as pivotal for the sector’s role in national economic development and employment creation. Products from the CCIs sector which inherently contribute to building social cohesion, peace and the marketing of Zimbabwe will also gain a foothold,” she said.

The ten pillars identified are; Cultural markets and business development, Intellectual property, Funding, financing and investment, Education, capacity building and training, Cultural infrastructure, Cultural statistics and research, Media, information and communication technologies, Cultural diplomacy and global business, Cultural governance and Safeguarding cultural heritage.

The Minister implored agencies such the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ), the National Gallery of Zimbabwe (NGZ), The CCIs sector genres of Film and Video, Visual Arts, Dance, Theatre, Music, spoken word, Literary Arts, Fashion, Graphic Design, Crafts etc to glean from the National Cultural and Creative Industries Strategy to craft their strategies.

“It is also critical for me to underline that during the implementation of the Strategy, Ministry will include a wide range of stakeholders from the public and private sectors; As a Ministry, we invite the corporate world, development partners, agencies and educational institutions to feel free to pick aspects among the ten pillars that they wish to run with or partner the Ministry or CCIs sector players in their implementation support processes”, Minister Coventry said.

She added that her ministry will work through the NACZ and NGZ to collaborate with Government Ministries, other government agencies, CCIs practitioners, Arts Associations and Organisations, development partners, the corporates, civic society and well-wishers.

“Most importantly, the various State and private-owned institutions, which include the media, Universities, Polytechnics, Teacher Education Colleges and those specialised institutions that not only offer technical training but also nurture and expose creative talent, including the film and theatre schools, will be duly courted”, the Minister said.

Hon Coventry also announced that the Ministry will also be reaching out to organisations and individuals who are interested in unlocking the inherent value and potential of CCIs to become a formidable and robust economic sector for Zimbabwe.

DIRECTOR CHALLENGES YOUNG FILMMAKERS

The Director of the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe Mr Nicholas Moyo has challenged young filmmakers to be bold and shake off the old narrative associated with the Film industry in Zimbabwe.

Mr Moyo said this during a meeting with Sydney Taivavashe (Director) and Tariro Washe (Producer) of the Movie Gonarezhou which won the Best First Feature Narrative category at this year’s edition of the Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) held in February in Los Angeles, USA.

“As young filmmakers, you should not listen to the old story that Film does not work in Zimbabwe, instead you need to look at new and innovative ways of telling your stories so that they are appreciated by a wider audience,” the director said.

He congratulated the cast and crew of the Anti-poaching movie and called on filmmakers to take the Zimbabwean Story to the World.

“Zimbabwe has its unique way of life and challenges that the world needs to know about. These have to be packaged in a manner that the world would want to see. Once you create a good product, it will be appreciated, good works push themselves,” said Mr Moyo.

The director also revealed that going forward, the NACZ will soon be developing a National Strategy for the film Sector and called on filmmakers to be part of the exercise.

“The strategy should help to set priorities for the development of the local film industry and as players in the sector you need to come on board so that you can articulate what you want to happen in the sector,” he said.

Washe revealed that with the recent partial re-opening of the creative sector, they were now working on the delayed premiere of the movie in Zimbabwe.

“We are now finalizing the launch dates and venues and we will be able to advise when this will be done. We are looking at having events in Harare, Bulawayo and Masvingo. We would love to take it to other parts of the country, but there is the issue of costs,” she said.

Gonarezhou tracks the life of Zulu, an honourable rural man, for who survival is a constant battle living in a village with a large animal population and boasts of an all-star cast which includes singer Tamy Moyo, President Mnangagwa’s daughter Tariro and veteran actor Eddie Sandifolo among others.

 

GOVERNMENT APPROVES PARTIAL RE-OPENING OF THE CULTURAL AND CREATIVE SECTOR

Government has approved the partial re-opening up of low-risk sectors of the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs) in line with Public Health (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) (National Lockdown) (Consolidation and Amendment) Order SI 200/2020.

In a statement, the Director of the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) Mr Nicholas Moyo said players in the identified low-risk sectors seeking to reopen under the relaxed measures will have to apply for permission from the NACZ and they will only be allowed to resume operations if council is satisfied that they are able to adhere strictly to set COVID19 transmission prevention protocols and the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

“As the sector is celebrating the relaxation of the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions which have seen the CCIs dormant for the past 6 months, NACZ would like to encourage players in the sector to take advantage of the relaxation of the lockdown conditions to go back to their creative spaces and engage in serious production for the sector to recover some of the opportunities lost due to the corona virus epidemic,” the Director said.

Mr Moyo said after successfully lobbying for the sector’s reopening, the NACZ implores industry players to put the health of practitioners and consumers of CCI products at the forefront of their operations to avoid the sector become a vector in the transmission of the deadly virus.

“In this regards the NACZ encourages artistes to establish and adhere to the set COVID-19 prevention protocols and Standard Operating Procedures at all times as they reopen their creative spaces”, he said.

In the statement, the NACZ also announced that only low-risk sectors including exhibitions in Galleries and Museums, Book launches, Film production, Training Centres cum Schools of Arts, Arts and Culture Centres, Visual Art Studios, Music Recording studios, Drive-In Cinema, Studio recording for online publication, Theatre Houses for Drama, Dance, Movies and Spoken Word had been cleared to resume their operations with immediate effect.

“The government also approved Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the players to adhere to so as to maintain the low-risk status of the opening sectors,” the Director said.

The SOPs cover issues to do with sanitization at the entrance at entry and exit points, Temperature Checks, Wearing of face masks and shield by patrons and staff, Registration of all attendees for particular events, Social distancing in set up and activities, Sanitization of physical objects/equipment within Arts spaces, Fumigation of premises before and after usage.

Other areas also covered in the SOPs include Audiences to conform to the 100 allowed for gatherings, Selling of tickets in advance to control numbers, Sale of alcohol at the venues, Staff regular health checks for the testing of COVID-19 and the immediate closure of an arts space in case of COVID-19 cases detection.

Mr Moyo said the NACZ was ceased with the task of ensuring and monitoring that the reopening of CCI spaces adhere to the set SOPs.

“I would also like to advise members of the general public and patrons of CCIs that COVID-19 is still in our midst. Let’s all play our part to prevent the resurgence of local transmission cases with the reopening of the sector. Reckless and wanton behaviour will not benefit the CCI sector as COVID-19 spreads easily in areas of irresponsibility,” Mr Moyo said.

The partial reopening of the arts sector comes as a huge relief to practitioners who have failed to practice and perform their art since the first total lock down was initiated by government in March

Public presentation of the Zimbabwe Quadrennial Periodic Report

The National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) with the guidance of the UNESCO Expert Facility will host a one-day multi-stakeholder public presentation and validation of the Zimbabwe 2005 Quadrennial Periodic Report on Friday 16 October 2020 at Cresta Oasis Hotel in Harare.

 

The report, which started to be drafted in December 2019 by the members of the National Team is due to be submitted on 01 November 2020. The meeting is expected to reunite relevant stakeholders who include artists, cultural practitioners, media professionals, public institutions and representatives of various ministries for a final reflection and validation.

 

After the public presentation, the national team will come together for a debriefing session to integrate the results of the public debate in view of finalizing the periodic report. The national team will also discuss lessons learnt and follow-up actions.

 

The quadrennial periodic report (QPR) is a form that is collaboratively completed by the public, private and civil society actors underlining the state of cultural policies in a country, which is submitted by State Parties to UNESCO’s 2005 Convention every 4 years.

 

The elaboration of the QPR process strengthens the network of cultural policy makers to better monitor the ever-evolving creative industries. The process identifies a number of challenges such as lack of relevant data and information required for evidence-based and transparent policy-making; limited capacity to assess and monitor the impact of policies and measures for the diversity of cultural expressions; fragile networking between governments and civil society.

 

The elaboration of Zimbabwe’s QPR, benefited from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) project called “Reshaping cultural policies for the promotion of fundamental freedoms and the diversity of cultural expressions” where Zimbabwe and other 16 partner countries are beneficiaries.

 

The project is a follow up (phase II) of the successful similar project entitled, “Enhancing fundamental freedoms through the promotion of the diversity of culture expression” to which Zimbabwe submitted its first Quadrennial Periodic Report.

 

Government officials and representatives from the Ministry of Information, Ministry of Youth, Sports, Arts and Recreation, non-governmental organisations, civil society tourism stakeholders, creatives and artists, entrepreneurs are expected to attend presentation. The Ministry of Youth Sport Arts and Recreation, Dr T Chitepo is expected to officiate. Other speakers include National Arts Council of Zimbabwe Director Mr. Nicholas Moyo and UNESCO Regional Director for Southern Africa, Prof. Hubert Gijzen.