THE National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) has announced that the 24th edition of the National Arts Merit Awards (Nama) will be held on February 28 under the theme Fearless Creativity.
The announcement was made by Barbra Gotore, the director for arts promotion and development at NACZ, at a Press conference held at Scarlet Studios last year on November 6.
Gotore expressed optimism for the upcoming edition, noting that new managers Reginald Matinanga, managing director of Scarlet Studios, and Talent Banda, the chief executive officer of Events Evolution, were appointed to oversee the event.
“We are excited about this edition, which begins with a new team of event managers,” she said.
“We commend them for their efforts so far and extend our full support.”
Nama is a submission-based awards platform that recognises excellence across Zimbabwe’s creative industries.
Artists were invited to submit works created between December 1, 2024 and November 30, 2025.
Only original works produced within this period are eligible for nomination for the 24th edition.
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Submissions were open to all Zimbabwean nationals and residents, regardless of NACZ registration status.
Nama features multiple competitive categories and special awards, celebrating achievements across the arts.
Accordingly, the visual arts category includes Outstanding Female Artist, Outstanding Male Artist, Outstanding Upcoming Artist and Outstanding Exhibition.
All forms of 2D and 3D visual art, mixed media and photography are considered.
In theatre, awards are presented for Outstanding Actor, Actress, Production, Director and Playwright.
Artists must submit high-quality video recordings and, for playwrights, full scripts.
The literary category recognises Outstanding Fiction, Non-Fiction, First Published Work and Children’s Book.
Three hard copies are required for physical submission, while online entries must be in PDF format.
Film and television awards include Outstanding Actor, Actress, Music Video, Screen Production (Television), Screen Production (Full-Length) and Screen Production (Short Film).
Short films must run between one and 40 minutes, while full-length films must exceed 40 minutes.
The Music Video award honours directors.
Dance awards include Outstanding Group or Production, Female Dancer, Male Dancer and Choreographer, with performances between 10 and 90 minutes.
The Spoken Word category features Outstanding Stand-Up Comedian and Poet, with submissions accepted in audio or video format.
Music awards honour Outstanding Female and Male Musicians, Breakthrough Musician, Music Group, Song and Album.
The music group award recognises ensembles where performance and creativity are shared equally.
New categories include Fashion, featuring Outstanding Male and Female Designers and a Contributor to the Fashion Industry, and Digital Arts, which honours social media content creators and podcasts.
Special awards celebrate the Outstanding Artist in the Diaspora, Arts Journalist or Media House, Promoter of the Year, Lifetime Achievement, Arts Service, Arts Personality, and the People’s Choice Award — the only publicly voted category.
The 24th Nama edition promises to celebrate fearless creativity by honouring the diversity, innovation and resilience that define Zimbabwe’s thriving arts and cultural landscape.
