By Dumisani Ndlovu
Minister of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Kirsty Coventry has urged artists to acquire business management knowledge, skills and
competences in order to improve cultural governance, fundraising and development of the industry.
Coventry made these sentiments, on Wednesday at the launch of an arts business and digital distribution project in Matabeleland region by Chenhaka Trust.
The Trust is an innovative and community development organization
based in Mutare, Manicaland, Zimbabwe. It was established to support arts individuals, groups, arts associations, music bands and unions to
showcase and strengthen their capabilities.
The project is intended to promote use of digital technology to
improve production, presentation and marketing of various arts
products, including standardization of salaries and performance fees.
The project is funded by the Sound Connect Fund, an initiative by the
Music in Africa Foundation (MIAF) and Goethe-Institute through
assistance from the European Union (EU) and Siemens Stiftung.
“The Cultural and Creative industry has had many challenges, mainly
emanating from its informal ways of operations where most of the sector players do arts as hobbies but not business.
Addressing the gathering Minister Coventry hailed the initiative
saying such initiatives will contribute to the recognition of the
sector as a profession worth pursuing and positively changing people’s mindset towards the sector.
She emphasized the need for cooperation between government and the sector to influence policy formulation so that the arts industry can function guided by such policies.
“Education, capacity building and training of sector players forms the
backbone of the development of the sector and country at large. This project and its partners come in at the right time after the recent
launch of the National Cultural and Creative Industry strategy,
National Music Strategy of Zimbabwe.
“Capacity building, education and training are some of the priority
pillars for the sector’s development strategies,” Coventry said.
She said such efforts by the Trust contribute to President Mnangagwa`s
mantra of leaving no one or place behind and contribute to the overall
achievement of Vision 2030.
Coventry applauded the development partners for their profound support
and commitment towards the development of the Cultural and Creative sector in the country. Coventry implored beneficiaries of the project to make sure they put all information learnt into practice.
“This is an important part of your career development and learning process which you should take seriously. Ensure that you share the
information and knowledge with your colleagues and other players in the industry,” she said.
“I guarantee you that this project is directly contributing to the
achievement which speaks to the utilization of local resources and
knowledge systems for social and economic development,” said Coventry.
Speaking on the same occasion, Chenhaka executive director, Taurai
Moyo said the project will equip artists with modern production,
management and marketing skills in the country.
“We believe that this project will go a long way to ensure the
application of a standardized creative sector and the building of a consistent and competent creative industry with technical ability and proficiency in the use of technology and innovation in the production of creative works,” he said.
“We believe that all the participants will acquire skills that are
essential for employment creation, problem solving, critical thinking,
creativity,” he added
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