Big names headline Shangano Arts Festival

PREPARATIONS for the 2023 edition of the Shangano Arts Festival to be held in Hwange have started with Victoria Falls based praise poet Obert Dube and sungura man of the moment DT Bio Mudimba set to headline the event.

The festival will be held between 23 and 27 November.

Festival organiser Petros Ndlovu encouraged artists from across Matabeleland North to apply and send their profiles for consideration.

“As Shangano Arts Trust we are delighted to inform you that preparations for our long awaited 17th edition of Shangano Arts Festival have started. Obert Dube and DT Bio Mudimba will headline the show as big artists in Matabeleland North. Artist are being encouraged to submit applications with their profiles by 30 September,” said Ndlovu.

The theme for the festival is “Kumusilija-Revived.

Shangano Arts festival has over the years provided a platform to showcase culture in Matabeleland North.

The arts festival aims to enhance knowledge, skills and capacity through arts and cultural activities for transformative social change and community development in marginalised communities in Matabeleland North province.

Ndlovu said the festival had managed to rise unfettered from Covid-19 where the promotion and support of the creative industry had almost come to a standstill.

“We are proud to emerge as a revived bulwark, a supercharged stallion. But we have stood firm unmoved with resilience through hardship and found our way to reclaim our vision, renewed in strength and with hope as our guide, we stepped forth revived, united, healed united and thrived,” said Ndlovu.

He said artistic talent has been revived and support for the artists this year’s festival is going to be a delightful celebration such as revived successes.