Tsumeb the musical town
Arts and culture do not only create artists, but jobs as well, whilst keeping children out of negative environments and off the streets.
The Arts Performance Centre, shortly known as APC, represents one of the few areas where the youth come together to share experiences, even if they see the world in radically different ways, and regardless of the crises they are facing.
APC is a music and visual arts school in Tsumeb, and to some it is home, said APC’s Gideon Eibeb.
“APC Tsumeb currently caters for between 350 and 400 children on a daily basis; some from marginalised and underprivileged homes, all seeking a brighter future through identifying their talents through art,” he noted.
The diverse musical and visual arts school not only focuses on teaching instrumental subjects to the students, but also offers a new pre-primary Music Education line, which caters for children between three and six years. They are taught about sound, music counting, and given the platform to express themselves through arts.
The centre furthermore offers dance classes in different styles, Swahili, Ludothek (toy library) – where children play games after their lessons – as well as homework assistance for all school work. Under the music field, the centre has a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, pianos, violins, violas, cellos, trumpets, flutes, saxophones, clarinets, oboes, F-Horns and keyboards.
Eibeb said the centre has groomed many artists over the years. Some have started their own music schools in the footsteps of APC, while several others have joined the police and navy bands. APC’s string band performs at all types of events. Teachers are educated at APC by volunteers, mostly from Vienna and Zürich.
“The centre creates jobs for these teachers who now feed their families as breadwinners, and that is the critical part this centre holds,” he added.
Eibeb said APC is an important job-creating enterprise in the country and in the arts sector. Thus, this important work should not die out.
“Tsumeb is known as a paradise, and APC contributes to the greener pastures through arts and music amidst the financial shortage and support,” he observed.
Some corporates who have assisted the centre include the Ohlthaver & List group that granted APC the old Pick ‘n Pay building to use as an APC extension due to the high enrolment of more students on a daily basis.
For more information, APC can be reached on: