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Raisedon Baya
SOMETIME in 2014 I visited the city of Poznan in Poland for a conference on festival management and curation.
During our stay there we were taken to this amazing arts centre that was used as a venue for the Malta Arts Festival.
The building looked old. In fact it was an old building that had once been an old bakery. A local businessman had saved the building from demolition and helped turn it into a beautiful creative space that was now the cultural and artistic soul of Poznan. The centre now houses bookshops, a gallery, dance studio, theatre, and restaurants.
Everyone who was part of the conference left that space inspired, some with bigger dreams than before. For me two things struck me. It was the permanent effect of the structure on both the cultural and business life of the city.
Secondly, it was how a structure like that automatically became a permanent venue for the festival. Thirdly, it was how one philanthropic act can change the lives and the landscape of an industry. Going back to the hotel I kept wishing we had one or two philanthropists back home. Well financed people with a heart for the arts. But maybe we are not wired like that.
Two years later here I am in Edinburgh, the world’s festival city, home to more than 12 festival, and cannot help but feel a moment of deja vu. I have been taken to two places so far, old buildings that were saved by local philanthropists and give to the arts community. Summer hall was once a Veterinary science college. When it was earmarked for demolition, it was saved and turned into an arts centre. It is also part of the venues for Fringe Festival here in Edinburgh.
The Tapestry Centre is another venue. Earmarked again for demolition but saved for cultural and artistic purposes.
To be honest in this materialistic world it was more sensible to buy the place, demolish and build flats for accommodation or turn the place into a shopping complex. But someone saw the value of preserving the heritage in the buildings and turning the places into art centres. These gestures underline the importance of both preserving our heritage and keeping the arts alive. We obviously need our business people to know and understand the value of heritage and the arts.
Bulawayo is constantly called the unofficial cultural capital of Zimbabwe. And as a community of arts we have smiled and even went to boast about it. But that is just a title. How many structures or building or venues does Bulawayo have that support and nurture talent? How many? Well, while you are still struggling to answer that let me tell you how many venues Harare now have. Please note that my reference to Harare here is so that we start crying victim.
The reason is that we know that titles mean nothing. Titles are not worth anything. The generation that comes after us must come and find structures and system that will make working in the creative sector more enjoyable. As things stand we are likely to leave nothing but deferred dreams to them. And they will curse us for that.
Back to Harare and its sudden focus on crucial things. Magamba Network has just opened Moto Republic, a beautiful, multi-purpose arts hub near Parirenyatwa hospital. Daves Guzha is opening Theatre in the Park this coming week. A dance centre is being mooted. What’s my point? Simple, people in Harare are thinking long term. They are thinking structures and system while Bulawayo is happy with a useless title of cultural capital of Bulawayo. I will repeat. Words are useless. Titles will not put food on artiste’s tables.
Bulawayo has many old buildings and a fallen industry. There are many warehouses and firms that can and should be rehabilitated into thriving arts centres. Only it needs are visionary leaders backed by businesses or philanthropists who know the true value of Bulawayo heritage and its arts. So far besides the art gallery where does one go in search of art and artistes in Bulawayo?
Today is Sunday, Easter Sunday. For the religious it’s a very important day. Today is also World Theatre Day. The whole world is celebrating this important art form. Bulawayo rarely celebrates with the world. However, this year is different. The play Addicted is showing tonight at Bulawayo Theatre so dear readers of this column after church take your friends and family to the theatre and celebrate World Theatre Day with a wonderful and very energetic cast.
Like Shakespeare once said, the world is a stage, play your part. Go support local theatre.
Online Reporter