Bulawayo-based international multi-discipline arts event, Intwasa Arts Festival, which is billed to run from September 19 to 25, will for the first time, accommodate primary school children in its programme.
Children from various primary schools will have an opportunity to take part in the festival following the launch of a new dance competition sponsored by Habitat Afrika Safari.
The festival will this year celebrate its sixth year under the theme: “Once Again” featuring theatre, dance, music, film, visual arts, spoken word and literary arts.
“This year’s programme will allow children to also take part in poetry and other specific performances like storytelling, theatre, visual arts, film, fashion, literature, music and games,” said festival director, Raisedon Baya.
Baya said they had invited 35 primary schools from Bulawayo to take part in the competition which would be the first of its kind.
He said although only Bulawayo primary school children would take part in the competition, as it was just a starting point, plans were underway to expand to other areas.
“There is a close link between tourism and the arts and with that in mind, we want to nurture young talent in the community,” said Habitat Afrika Safari director, Rodwell Masocha.
Masocha said they had been for a while looking for an arts company they could partner with and finally chose Intwasa mainly because they had done exceptionally well throughout the years.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Baya said the festival’s nerve centre was the National Art Gallery where spoken word, visual arts, literary arts and film are located. The other venues would be the Bulawayo Theatre, Stanley Hall and the City Hall car park.
He said this year the festival would host artists from UK, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, Zambia and Botswana and there would be over 52 events, 46 performances, the rest being workshops and talk shows.
