A TOTAL of 25 art and craft artistes took part at two-week training workshop recently hosted by the country’s premier arts organisers, Harare International Festival of the Arts (Hifa). Own Correspondent Speaking at a Press conference in Harare recently, Hifa artistic director Gavin Peter said the initiative is part of the festival’s efforts in ensuring that Hifa is not only giving a platform for artistes to showcase their works, but also gets involved in improving quality to meet international standards.
“This initiative is part of the festival’s corporate social responsibility,” he said.
“It is aimed at keeping artists abreast with the latest trends thereby improving their artworks to compete favourably on the international scene.
“It also means that Hifa is not limited to merely showcasing the arts, but gets involved behind the scenes to nurture and develop the artiste.”
The workshop targeted 25 rural artistes who were selected from those who applied to be part and parcel of Hifa 2013 in the art and craft discipline.
Hifa runs between April 30 and May 5.
Hifa executive director Maria Wilson concurred with his artistic director adding that the festival is not only involved with helping artistes to showcase their works, but also provides a perfect platform for the artistes to network, develop and market themselves.
In its 14th edition this year, Hifa has grown over the years to become a premier arts event not only in Zimbabwe, but in the region as well as internationally.
