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This came out at a think-tank meeting held on Tuesday at Habakkuk Trust on the role of the arts in development work.
The think-tank meeting was attended by artistes, art schools, art students and churches.
Renowned arts guru Raisedon Baya and contemporary artist Mthabisi Phili gave presentations at the event.
The artistes said the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture had too many portfolios under its belt.
“A single Ministry of Arts would make decisions that would benefit the arts industry. This will help it to grow and guarantee its future,” said Baya.
He said the arts industry was too fragmented for it to speak with one voice, resulting in some artistes living from hand to mouth.
“We have a lot of artistes in school and some who are school leavers that do not have anything to do. These people need direction, but it is hard to speak to them if they are doing their art for the next meal,” said Baya.
He said the arts could be used to empower, inspire and improve the lives of people, hence its importance in development work.
“The arts break through educational and political boundaries, it is a unifying factor and we can preserve and safeguard languages and traditional practices,” he said.
In his presentation Phili said Bulawayo did not support its own artistes and pointed out that this was hindering their development.
He bemoaned the exodus of arts graduates who could help set the direction for the development of artistes.
“An artist needs a manager to deal with the business side of the art. However, we have students in universities in the country graduating in arts degrees and they are nowhere to be seen,” said Phili.
“You negotiate with Winky D through his manager to have him come and perform and he will not charge less than $3 000.”
He also threw his weight behind the call for the setting up of one arts ministry in the country.
National Arts Council of Zimbabwe programmes officer William Nyandoro said arts groups were to blame because when his organisation called for meetings to discuss their plight they gave varying excuses.
“We call for meetings with artistes but they do not come to the meetings; they say we are rehearsing or the meetings do not put food on their tables. But how are we supposed to know what problems they are facing?” said Nyandoro.
Participants said Government should look into issues where school arts groups were being given small remuneration for their performances by organisations as this was tantamount to exploitation.
Online Reporter