Mbulelo Mpofu [email protected]
THE countdown to the ninth edition of the Bulawayo Arts Awards (BAA) has gathered momentum, with organisers adopting a phased approach to announcing nominees that has not only introduced this year’s contenders but also brought some of the city’s iconic cultural landmarks into focus.
Scheduled for November 28, the awards have unveiled nominees across several categories, including theatre, photography, digital content creation, poetry, broadcasting, comedy and dance.
Beyond announcing the contenders, the staggered unveiling has provided an opportunity to revisit spaces that have shaped Bulawayo’s artistic identity, highlighting the enduring relationship between the city’s creative output and its cultural heritage.
The announcements have showcased a cross-section of established performers, emerging personalities and creative collectives, with several individuals and institutions featuring prominently across multiple categories.
In the first segment, the Bulawayo Theatre production The Play That Went Wrong emerged as a notable contender, earning nominations for Outstanding Theatre Production and Outstanding
Theatre Actress through Thandolwenkosi Ndlovu and Thembela Hlambeko.
The production’s multiple nominations underline its impact on the city’s theatre scene. It faces competition in the production category from The Empty Frame by John Mabuyane and I Don’t Want To Die by Purple Brain Productions.
Mabuyane also earned an individual nomination for Outstanding Theatre Actor for his performance in The Empty Frame. He will compete against Cadrick Msongelwa, nominated for ZI Animal Farm, and Leroy Mthulisi Ndlovu, nominated for The Play That Went Wrong.
The theatre categories were further strengthened by Nomaqhawe Moyo’s nomination for I Don’t Want To Die, reflecting the diversity of productions staged during the eligibility period.
Photography was represented by Franklyn Visuals, Khanya Media and Visuals By Corey, while the second segment shifted attention to the increasingly influential digital content creation and spoken-word spaces.
The Outstanding Digital Content Creator category featured: Mahlalela Mahlalela, Yung Steazy, Gogo Nasigijo, Dramatic Miss, Magriza Made Me Cook and Laiza The Mop Driver, with Vusuthando Adventures also appearing on the announced list.
The inclusion of these personalities reflects the growing importance of social media as a platform for entertainment, storytelling and audience engagement, with digital creators increasingly contributing to the city’s broader creative economy.
Poetry also received recognition, with nominations going to Emily Sibanda, Thaluso Da Poet, Siwela AKA Sgoqa, Noxie The Poet and Oxide Kids.
Meanwhile, the Outstanding Online Media category featured Byo Arts News Online (BANO), Ingwalo Labalobi – DAB Three Events, Earground TV and Everything Byo.
In broadcasting, Skyz Metro FM’s Taboka Nleya, Luzibo Radio’s Mma Nare, Khulimani FM’s Ex Da Voice, Power FM’s Miss Tee, and NUST FM’s Mbulelo Mpofu and Allington Ndlovu were nominated for Outstanding Radio DJ.
The third segment turned the spotlight on dance and comedy, two disciplines that have long been central to Bulawayo’s performance culture.
KN Entertainment, Jabulani Arts, Ezimnyama Dance Ensemble, Simunye Simunye Arts and Bolamba Culture Birds will compete for Outstanding Dance Ensemble.
The Outstanding Female Dancer category features Lauratta Phiri of IYASA, Sinobuhle Dube of Bolamba Culture Birds and Amabhubesi, and Nelisiwe Mpofu and Paris Musa of Simunye Simunye.
In the Outstanding Male Dancer category, the nominees are Sifiso Ndlovu of Jabulani Arts, Hassan Munashe Muzorore, Brilliant Ntando Sithole of Ezimnyama Dance Ensemble and Elemento.
Meanwhile, the comedy category brings together Ble’, General Lesley, Frank Chirisa and D’Juni, reflecting the continued popularity of comedy as entertainment and a vehicle for social commentary.
One of the distinctive features of this year’s nominees’ unveiling has been the organisers’ apparent intention to turn the announcements into a celebration of Bulawayo’s cultural geography.
By associating the different segments with recognisable landmarks and artistic spaces, the organisers have moved beyond the conventional practice of simply publishing nominees on social media, giving the city’s cultural heritage a place in the awards narrative.
Spaces such as Stanley Hall, Amakhosi Cultural Centre and Mzilikazi Art and Craft Centre in Makokoba carry histories that extend well beyond their physical structures, having contributed to the development of community life and artistic expression.
Stanley Hall, for instance, represents an important chapter in the city’s community and cultural life, having served as a gathering place for social activities, entertainment and artistic expression.
Amakhosi Cultural Centre occupies a particularly significant position in Zimbabwe’s performing arts history. Founded by the late Cont Mhlanga, the institution became an incubator for theatre practitioners, actors, writers and cultural activists, nurturing a generation of performers whose influence extends beyond Bulawayo.
Its contribution to the development of theatre and the performing arts makes it a fitting symbol for an awards platform seeking to recognise artistic excellence.
Similarly, Mzilikazi Art and Craft Centre, situated in Makokoba, reflects the city’s creative heritage, particularly in visual arts, sculpture, crafts and traditional forms of artistic expression. Its continued existence underscores the importance of preserving spaces where cultural knowledge and creative skills are passed down through generations.
These locations also offer an opportunity to recognise the often-overlooked relationship between artistic achievement and the environments that nurture it. While awards celebrate individual talent and collective accomplishment, the institutions and community spaces sustaining such achievements deserve recognition as well.
The phased approach has also helped maintain public interest, with each segment introducing new categories and allowing different creative disciplines their moment in the spotlight instead of releasing the entire nominees’ list at once.
It has created a rolling conversation around the awards, giving audiences and supporters opportunities to engage with nominees across different artistic fields while building anticipation for the ceremony.
However, the approach also reinforces the importance of ensuring that recognition at the awards translates into meaningful support for the city’s creative sector, including the institutions, venues and emerging talent that sustain its growth.
The nominees were drawn from works released or activities undertaken between August 8, 2025 and September 21, 2026, providing the basis for assessing a year of artistic activity across the eligible categories.
As the November 28 ceremony approaches, the ninth edition presents an opportunity to celebrate not only the individuals and collectives whose names appear on the nominees’ list but also the cultural infrastructure, institutions and communities that continue to shape and sustain Bulawayo’s artistic identity.
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