The NACZ December 2024 Newsletter Issue 4
Point Black is pleased to present the December 2024 edition of the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe newsletter. The amazing team at the NACZ prepared this newsletter, which Point Black edited and designed.
Read and download the new edition below:
DiRECTOR’S Welcome Remarks
National Arts Council of Zimbabwe Director Mr Napoleon Nyanhi
Welcome once again to the monthly publication of cultural and creative activities in Zimbabwe. As we pull down the curtains to an eventful year that brought a spotlight on arts and culture, I take this opportunity to thank all the stakeholders for supporting Zimbabwean creatives in so many ways. By consuming artistic products, you are contributing to the growth of this nation’s creative economy, and we love you for that.To the artist, let us prioritise formalising our craft by registering with NACZ. As the year begins, remember to renew your registration to enjoy the numerous benefits that come with being one of us. The month of December is always a hive of activity for creative workers and consumers. There is so much creative diversity to celebrate so take your time to go through this publication and catch up with the recent arts and culture news. I wish all art-loving Zimbabweans a prosperous and artsy 2025.
EVENTS ROUNDUPS
King Kandoro’s Celebration Centre Show
STAND-UP COMEDY IS NOW A POWERFUL FORCE
In 2015 the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe made a Board resolution to actively support the growth of Standup comedy in the country. This led to notable strides like the filling up of the HICC by the Ugandan comedian Anne Kansiime. 9 years later, Zimbabweans have fully embraced the value of attending a stand-up comedy show and parting with their hard-earned money to enjoy a good laugh. In December, our own King Kandoro hosted a sold-out show at Celebration Centre in Harare attended by over 3,500 people after a series of other successful shows in Bulawayo and Victoria Falls during his Propaganda World Tour. Nigel Tha Slick Pastor has also filled up Reps and 7 Arts Theatre this year.
King Kandoro and Nijo Live On Stage
BULAWAYO SHUT DOWN
Bulawayo Shutdown 8th Edition
Harris Entertainment held the 8th edition of the Bulawayo Shutdown on 27 December. The well-put-together event was held at The ZITF Hall and was filled to capacity. The star-studded lineup lived up to expectations delivering impressive performances. The event MCs were Mzoe 7, DJ Nospa and Metty Intombi ‘Emfitshane.
CELESTIAL CHORUS 2, A GAME CHANGING CONCERT
The Celestial Chorus Soiree that was held at HICC on the 31st of December was the perfect event to sign out of the eventful 2024.The event hosted by Bridging Gaps Foundation ticked all the boxes that resemble a well organised musical production. It featured a 100 piece symphonyand had a total of 182 participating artists from Zimbabwe, South Africa and the USA making it one of the biggest investments into the arts in 2024. Guests were treated to a memorable experience, marked by flawless timing, exceptional performances and an atmosphere of great excitement.It was indeed another testimony that with good investment, Zimbabwean art can be a powerful force in the region and beyond.
NEWS FROM THE MUSIC SCENE
Baba Manyeruke live at the Gospel Legends Night
The month of December started with the elegant Gospel Legends Concert hosted by Eleana Makombe at the HICC. Legends like Baba Manyeruke and Fungisai Zvakavapano showed that they have been in the game for a long as they kept fans asking for more. NAMA Award-winning music promoter, Patson “Chipaz” Chimbodza was at it again with another edition of the Zimdancehall Cup Clash 2024 where the winner, Ngwere Lite drove away with a brand-new BMW as the grand prize. The Doek n Slay Harare Edition which was held at Alex Sports Club on Saturday 15 December recorded an attendance of around 23,000 ladies.
Left: ZimDancehall National Cup Clash 23 Dec 2024, Right: Doek n Slay Harare 15 Dec 2024
WOMEN IN ART
Art is usually perceived as a male-dominated space but this year, women have done exceptionally well, dominating various art disciplines and showing that creativity knows no gender boundaries.
Charmaine Mujeri (Writer, Director, Actress)
In the world of theatre and television productions, Charmaine Mujeri needs no introduction. In the Month of December, she has been starring in most of the theatre productions that ran at Reps Theatre and Theatre in the Park. The renowned stage and television actress has been part of the most successful productions that the country has ever produced, including Cook Off, which was screened globally via Netflix, and was a recipient of multiple awards from the National Art Merit Awards (NAMA) and the Zimbabwe International Film Festival (ZIFF).
Ronika Tandi and a tourist in Kariba
Ronika Tandi is a Zimbabwean sculptor. She is primarily known for her abstract stone carving, often with a rough, unpolished surface that retains the natural texture of the stone. One of her pieces, Kariba Waves has become famous to tourists in Kariba, right by the Kariba Heights stands a 2-meter-long sculpture.
Feli Nandi at her restaurant in Eastlea
FELI Nandi is an Afrofusion musician, Fashion designer and entrepreneur. This year she celebrated Christmas in style by hosting people at her recently opened restaurant in Eastlea, serving tantalizing traditional dishes and the day was a resounding success. She has set a true example of how artists can diversify in terms of business investment. The multi-talented diva is now occupying space in the world of culinary arts.
NAMA 23
NAMA 22
On the 1st of March 2025, the 23rd Edition of the National Arts Merit Awards will be happening live at the Harare International Conference Centre. The Theme behind the upcoming NAMA edition is AFROFUTURISM. The theme resembles a way of looking at the future and alternate realities through a black culture lens. It focuses on works that examine the past, question the present, or imagine an optimistic future. It is meant to inspire a sense of pride in the audience. Get ready for an epic experience with scintillating local performances. The edition should breathe a new vibe of creativity into the future of Zimbabwean art.
FORMALISING THE CRAFT
The NACZ has been on a drive to make sure that arts and culture activities are formalized. Creatives face challenges in getting loans from financial institutions among other industry complications because of lack of formalization. It is encouraging to note that various disciplines of art have established institutions that help in governing their activities. We have the association for music promoters, the music managers forum, the Zimbabwe National Traditional Dancers Association etc.
Doc Vikela, COCAZ Member
The NACZ Communications department recently had a chat with Doc Vikela, who was representing the Content Creation Association of Zimbabwe (COCAZ), which was founded in 2020. He outlined the association’s vision which is to empower and elevate Zimbabwe’s creative voice and they believe in the transformative power of digital content to inspire, educate, and connect people across boundaries. As 2025 begins, NACZ encourages all arts associations, promoters, venue owners and art practitioners to renew their registrations and be counted among the professional creatives in our country.
For registration requirements, visit our website www.nacz.co.zw or email us at natartsziminfo@gmail.com.
MUSIC INDUSTRY EDUCATION
ARTIST ACCELERATOR
The following is an excerpt from The Artist Accelerator program being run by Point Black. This program aims to educate Zimbabwean artists and empower them with the tools they need to maximise their earning potential and reap the rewards from their incredible talents. With the help of the National Arts Council, we will be travelling across the country over the next few months to give full-day workshops to artists and creatives on how best to protect their rights and increase their earning potential.
Introduction To The Business
If you are reading this there is a high likelihood that you have dreamt of becoming a successful artist for a long time. The dream that is sold is often one that revolves around a talented artist who spends countless hours practising until they release a song that sets the world ablaze, with countless radio spins and TikTok dance challenges before labels all come knocking and you have your pick of the best deal that comes with a tonne of cash and fame. You sign on the dotted line and your illustrious career begins as more money, fame and awards follow. Sadly this is just that, a dream. The music industry is a tough and unforgiving creature. Its teeth are especially sharp in Zimbabwe, and if you aren’t prepared or realistic about your goals it will chew you up and spit you out leaving nothing but the bones!
Dramatic hyperbole aside, this is a tough industry and it’s important that you are equipped with the tools you need to succeed. The term success is also extremely relative and subjective. Due to a number of factors in Zimbabwe, even the most prominent and recognized artists will struggle to earn more than someone working in a corporate middle management position. We won’t be delving into that. However, my co-author Aurelia J. Schultz has an academic article that explains part of the reasons here.
The goal of this book is to make sure you get what you as a creative person are fully entitled to as outlined within the laws governing the country and the global industry. This is not a get-rich-quick guide; what this book will do however is equip you with the basic tools to ensure you understand your rights and enforce them so that you and your heirs get what you deserve. Note we said, heirs. Your rights and the value in your songs last long after you’ve left this earth. Composition copyrights last for fifty years after the songwriter dies, and neighbouring rights in sound recordings last for fifty years from the year the recording is made.
In that respect, we shall break this down into a very simple process. Since physical media (CDs/DVDs) are becoming increasingly obsolete we will touch on them only briefly in this book. This book will focus on revenue from composing a work, digital distribution, performances, radio, synchronisation and other licensing.
In future editions, we will discuss the remaining steps, how artists can make money from their music and how these revenue streams flow.
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