Southern region arts in retrospect

By The Standard and Newsday | Dec. 29, 2021 | 3 Min read

In the Southern region, the year started well with a number of artists mushrooming across genres, trying to make ends meet, but very few completed the race.

BY SHARON SIBINDI

IT has been a good year for some artists in the entertainment industry, but a turbulent year for others. In the Southern region, the year started well with a number of artists mushrooming across genres, trying to make ends meet, but very few completed the race.

Byo province gets new provincial arts manager

In January, local arts mother body National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) appointed Cleopatra Dube the new provincial arts manager for Bulawayo province replacing Charity Nyathi who retired in December 2020.

Roil Bulawayo Arts Awards

Organisers of the annual Roil Bulawayo Arts Awards this year made the ceremony a three-day event that saw several artistes across genres honoured at the fifth edition of the awards ceremony held in November.

Gallery director resigns

National Gallery of Zimbabwe (NGZ) in Bulawayo director

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stepped down in August. The institution is currently being led by acting regional director Silenkosi Moyo. Moyo is on record saying that she has a passion to reach out not only to women art practitioners, but all the under-represented sections of society throughout the regional gallery’s sphere of operation.

Iyasa launches Prove concert

Inkululeko Yabatsha School of Arts (Iyasa) launched the Promoting Virtual Engagement for Creative Resilience in COVID-19 (Prove) concert with the support of the African Culture Fund. An array of artistes lit up the show that saw eight of them from Bulawayo, being profiled and getting a chance to perform live via Iyasa digital media platforms.

Amplifying Girls’ Voices Through Digital Arts launches

Intwasa Arts Festival koBulawayo in partnership with Plan International launched the Amplifying Girls’ Voices Through Digital Arts project. The project, that features 22 young girls, is aimed at providing a platform for girls and young women to talk about issues affecting them.

Festivals

Some of the notable festivals that were held this year include the second edition of the Bulawayo Arts Festival and Intwasa Arts Festival.

The Centre for Innovation and Technology (Cite) held its inaugural healing and reconciliation festival, dubbed Asakhe Film Festival which ran under the theme, In Search of Peace and Justice.

Shangano Arts Festival in Hwange held its 15th edition of the fete, focused on promoting and nurturing talent in up-and-coming artistes from marginalised communities.

The fete ran under the theme Unlocked.

Call to honour artistes while still alive

Iyasa founder and director Nkululeko Innocent Dube said artistes across genres should be honoured and appreciated while they are still alive. He made the remarks while speaking at the National Arts Merit Awards (Nama) Living Legends trophy handover ceremony to eight Bulawayo recipients.

Byo artistes on States debut

Bulawayo’s most celebrated Afro-pop musicians, Mzobanzi “Mzoe7” Mlauzi, Chelsea Mguni and Sandra Ndebele-Sibindi among others had their debut performances in the United States of America. The artistes were some of the musicians that took turns to entertain guests during the Zim Expo and Christian Fellowship International in Dallas.

Skhosana in debut SA concert

Things looked good for Skhosana this year as he staged his debut performance in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he performed alongside Madlela Skhobokhobo.

Skhosana’s silly song

Nkayi-based musician Clopas Sikhosana dropped a track titled Ntethe that was received with mixed feelings.

The track was described as a silly song by some because of its lyrics and concept while others expressed love for it, citing its originality.

Fashion crazy

Apart from music, fashion enthusiasts were in for a treat at an exclusive pan-African fashion and lifestyle platform, The PiChani, held in Bulawayo. It was spearheaded by Global Citizen, Forbes Under 30, Mandela Washington Fellow, media practitioner and its curator, Gilmore Tee. The event attracted young achievers, entrepreneurs, movers and shakers that were all dressed to kill.

Local fashion designer and founder of Ganu Designs, Nkanyezi Malunga held Umtshado Ka Mbulumakhasane exhibition in Matopo.

Umtshado Ka Mbulumakhasane is a hybrid fashion exhibition that integrates the efforts and innovation of women in the rural areas with those in the urban environment.