GWERU – The Director for National Arts Council of Zimbabwe Nicolas Moyo has urged Midlands
artists to unite in order to develop a strong functional arts industry.
Speaking at a meeting with Midlands artists at Gweru Memorial Library recently, Moyo urged them
to be united, work together and create a conducive environment which allows them to grow and
succeed in their careers.
“Disunity is a serious cause of concern which is pulling down artists in this province. Every artist is
busy concentrating on making it individually and this has resulted in the downfall of the industry
here, but if artists unite and support each other, there is going to be massive progress in the
Midlands Province,” he said.
In response to cries by local artists that they are being sabotaged and not being called for shows
with promoters who prefer more established artists mainly from Harare, the Director of NACZ said
local artists’ voices are not being heard by promoters because of disunity.
Moyo said there is need for Midlands artists to be organised so that when they approach promoters
and sponsors their voices are heard.
''We have heard artists saying they are not being recognised by promoters while some say they are
not being paid for performances, but this is because many of the local artists are not registered.
Therefore, it is easy for promoters to use them and dump them or even sideline them because they
are not organised,” he said.
He added that there is need for artists to become professionals through registering with the NACZ so
that they are recognised by promoters.
Moyo also emphasised on the need for Midlands artists to form registered Arts Associations which
can help them to work together and produce great results.
“Artists in the Midlands province should form an Association which accommodates all forms of art,
be it music, visual arts, poems, writing or theatre and create a board of members that represent all
those genres. This will help artists to know each other, find problems affecting them and solve them
together as one, for the betterment of the industry,” the NACZ director said.
Gweru artist Lorraine Mutera, suggested that Midlands State University should assist local artists
without education to acquire education through short term courses as a way of professionalising the
arts sector in the province.
In response, the NACZ director said there are ongoing plans between NACZ and MSU to sign a
Memorandum of Understanding which will help artists to attend short term courses.
Gweru based content creator Chalton Nyoni pleaded with NACZ to intervene on issues of corruption
which is affecting artists in the province.
“We as artists are suffering from the corruption that is being spearheaded by some people in our
line of work. As content creators, we are supposed to get paid for our content but unfortunately
when we submit our content our ideas are stolen and used without our consent and we end up
remaining poor when we are supposed to be earning money,” he said.
Nyoni added that NACZ should assist artists who are being conned by radio presenters who ask them
to pay for airplay which is also a key factor affecting the arts industry in the province.
Award winning author and poet, Ignatius Musonza said there is need for NACZ to spearhead the
building of Arts Galleries in Midlands, stating that it would also promote domestic tourism.
''We need NACZ and the government to build Arts Galleries in the Midlands Province so that we are
able to sell our books and sculptures to tourists without having to go to Harare or Bulawayo where
there are galleries.
He also spoke on the need for NACZ to decentralise Arts Awards Ceremonies such as NAMA and
ZIMA from just being held in Harare to other cities and provinces to promote fairness and equality.
“As the Midlands Province we are capable of hosting those big ceremonies and festivals, but we are
being deprived the access which is one of the reasons why artists are becoming ignorant and not
participating in these awards and festivals because it’s being Hararenised,” said Musonza.
