adminAuxilia Katongomara Entertainment Correspondent
AFTER hosting a successful and glittering awards ceremony this year, the City of Kings will once again hold the the country’s prestigious the National Art Merit Awards (Nama) next year. This year for the first time in 12 years, Bulawayo finally hosted the awards away from the 7 Arts in Harare, which had become the traditional venue.
Addressing a stakeholders meeting in Bulawayo yesterday, National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (Nacz) director, Elvas Mari, said they were happy to announce that the awards would be held in Bulawayo again next year.
“I am happy to announce that the Namas would be coming to Bulawayo again next year.
Officials from our Ministry, the board and stakeholders were here and were impressed with what they saw and they felt the event can still be held in Bulawayo again,” said Mari.
The 13th edition of the Namas will be held on 15 February 2014.
Mari, however, could not say whether the committee that organised the previous event would be running things again next year.
“As of now I cannot say anything about the organising team because we had just come to break the news to the Bulawayo arts community. I think there will be another meeting where we will touch on that topic,” said Mare.
The all stakeholders meeting was attended by Nacz officials, art practitioners, artistes, promoters and the media.
During the meeting Amakhosi director, Cont Mhlanga applauded the Nacz, for the noble idea of plugging some of the loopholes in the arts industry but expressed concern over the nomination criteria used for the Namas.
“It is good that the National Arts Council has realised some of its mistakes and it is a good thing that the Namas are coming to Bulawayo once again, but what still remains is the nomination of artistes.
“The arts council must have proper structures where artistes can take their works for nomination not this issue where some nominations come through the window or under the carpet. We need proper structures for all art disciplines where after their work has been looked at it is then submitted to the board,” said Mhlanga.
Mari said they were aware of the issue of nominations but said his organisation was not adequately funded to have such structures in all provinces.
While there were doubts about the city’s ability to host the Namas, the event lived to its billing and scores of people thronged the Large City Hall where the ceremony was held.
Outside the venue, the crowd had the opportunity of watching the event on the big screen.
The event was beamed live on television and aired on some radio stations.
Online Reporter