NACZ - Midlands lacks foresight: Music legends
THE National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) in the Midlands province lacks the foresight and capacity to drive the creative industry into the future, a development that has reduced the province into a door-mate for other provinces, music legends have said.
NACZ is a statutory board meant to foster the understanding and practice of arts as well as the exhibition of such activities.
The organisation, which has set up o ces in all the country’s provinces seeks to promote and to add value to the artistic endeavours within the country. It was also mandated to identify and develop talent.
However, music legends believe otherwise. Alex Sekela, one of Gweru’s nest and decorated guitarist told Standard Style that lack of promotional packageshave contributed to the demise of the arts industry in the Midlands province.
“NACZ is lacking in their ability to promote arts and the long term view that guides them to place arts in a pathway for progressive development,” said Sekela, a member of the now defunct out t Super Sounds.
“There is no change in the way they have been running since inception yet over the years, we experince many changes.”
Reggae musician and former Power FM manager Joseph “Man Soul Jah” Nhara said artistes from Harare were being allowed to operate in the province at the expense of locals.
“We lack a quota system that allows our artistes to grow,” said Nhara.
“Whoever that comes from Harare can stage a show do so at will and that does not bene t our domestic industry for as long as they have a promoter licence.
“This should change if we are to develop our arts industry as Midlands.”
Nhara, who is also the founder and lead vocalist of People Against Cruel Existance, said: “Due to braindrain our artistes migrate to Harare to match the tendence that anything from Harare can sell in Gweru or any way else.”
“As a result our facility and the industry in general remains undeveloped.”
Characterised by selective treatment of artists, NACZ - Midlands province’s current administration has lowered the standards of the arts industry and muted a tone for profesional administration set during the late Abigail Sivanda’s tenure.
“Many associations are failing because they are forced through a stipulated mold that does not t in the fast changing world,” said Seka Chimwemwe, founder of the now defunct Arts Planet.
“When the NACZ fails to meet demands of changes around us for the bene t of industry and inclusions of new artistic abilities inspired by use of modern technology then they are losing the touch in the whole development matrix as a regulator.
“At this present moment we need to see them drifting from pen and paper culture, to use of IT tools, applications and smart solution in their administration even at provincial level.”
Chimwemwe said most associations were failing due to their lack of proper managerial skills and sound administrative personel.
NACZ communications and marketing manager Rodney Ruwende said his organisation was involved in various activities with some going beyond its mandate with the purpose of helping grow the arts sector.
“NACZ is a regulator, however, we have gone on to encourage members to form associations, guilds and professional bodies like in other professions,” Ruwende said.
“Already we have the Mbira Guild, which will develop manufacturing and training standards for the mbira.
“NACZ is currently working with stakeholders in the music sector and partners like EU [European Union] and UNESCO to develop a strategy for the music sector, which among other things seeks to create an enabling environment for the professionalisation of the music sector.
“The implementation of this policy is depends on stakeholders working to develop standards, association and bodies for the di erent professions in the music industry.”
He said when done with the music strategy, they will move on to lm and visual arts sectors.
“Arts sector in Zimbabwe has largely been informal and the development of professional standards is one of the key issues issues in the National Cultural and Creative Industries Strategy launched by government in 2020, under pillar one, which is the development of cultural markets and business development,” he said.