By Dumisani Ndlovu
Creative Lounge in partnership with British Council has received praises from Midlands Artists for providing free arts entrepreneurship training in order to equip them with necessary arts business skills.
Speaking at the training workshop Gweru Gospel Musician said the workshop was an eye-opener which has come up with a new breed of creative individuals who are no longer just artists but also entrepreneurs.
‘We thank Creative Lounge for the training. The two day workshop they conducted here in Gweru was very effective. We are no longer mere artists but ‘Artspreneurs’. Apart from creating mesmerizing art pieces we now also have the business acumen to market them effectively”.
Veteran poet Mbizo Chirasha said they have found a way to combine their passion for art with a sustainable business model, ensuring that they can continue to do what they love without compromising on their livelihood.
“As local artists, we are overjoyed to have leant news arts marketing trends, however, transitioning from a traditional artist to an artrepreneur requires more than just an entrepreneurial spirit. It demands a unique blend of artistic talent, business strategy, and a keen understanding of the current art market,” said Chirasha.
Hodzeko Arts Association Board Chairperson said the workshop gave them more insight about how to go about effective arts business.
“On behalf of our organisation and Midlands Artists, I am impressed by the gesture by Creative Lounge and the British Council, they have given us a comprehensive guide to aid us on arts and culture Journey,”Koslak said.
“From the workshop, I leant that to be a successful artrepreneur, you need to understand the art market and its trends. Knowing what kind of art sells, who your potential buyers are, and where you can reach them are critical aspects of artreprenuership.
The Principal Director of Creative Lounge, Laura Ganda said they work with artists in order to realise a sustainable creative economy.
“I want to see a sustainable creative economy, I believe that Zimbabwe is full of talent across the sector. What is lacking is the monetisation, how then do we make money?
Unfortunately our industry is very informal, so this informality also extends into the ways artists do business which might kill the economy,” adding that it was the reason why they came to Gweru and doing workshops in other provinces was to create an ecosystem of the creative that are networked to actually assist each other in monetising and sharing resources but also making money and building the arts industry.
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