Chenhaka Trust to train 60 performing arts professionals

THE names of 60 dance professionals who will benefit from the Performing Arts Business and Digital Distribution project (PABDID) in Bulawayo have been released by the Mutare-based Chenhaka Trust, an innovative organisation for community development.

The Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre’s Sabela Studios will host the PABDID, which will start today (26 September) and end on 12 October.

Five primary topics will be covered; booking and tour management, stage management and lighting design, performing arts digital distribution skills, artistic freedom and decent work, arts management and financial literacy, and tax compliance and obligation in partnership with Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra).

The 60 participants were selected from 27 applications received from Bulawayo, Matabeleland North, and South provinces.

The selection criteria included the quality of the application, the existence and experience of the group or individual in the dance sector, and the representation of women and people living with disabilities. Out of the 60 participants, 37 are women and 23 are men.

These include but not limited to personnel from the following dance ensembles; Khaya Arts Productions, Umkhathi Theatre Works, Pumula Junction Dance Crew, Iluba Lemvelo, Hloseni Arts Ensemble, and Iyasa.

The project is funded by the Sound Connects Fund, an initiative by the Music In Africa Foundation (MIAF) and Goethe-Institut. The Sound Connects Fund is made possible with funding from the ACP-EU Culture Programme, a project implemented by the Secretariat of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States and funded by the European Union (EU). The Fund is also co-funded by Goethe-Institut and Siemens Stiftung.

Chenhaka Trust is an arts organisation that promotes cultural diversity, social cohesion and human rights through dance, theatre and music. Since 2019, the Trust has been on a drive to transform lives through arts and has implemented various projects in collaboration with local and international partners.

The Trust’s head of programming, Taurai Moyo, said he was looking forward to working with the selected participants and hoped that the training would empower them to pursue their artistic careers and contribute to the development of the dance sector in Zimbabwe.

“We are very excited to be announcing the 60 successful dance sector professionals who will be trained in Matabeleland region of Zimbabwe through the Performing Arts Business and Digital Distribution project. We are also hoping to have the performing artistes will use the knowledge from the workshop to develop their craft,” he said.

The project started in Mashonaland region where Harare, Mashonaland West, Mashonaland East, and Mashonaland Central performing artists were trained in July and August.

The Matabeleland region (Bulawayo, Matabeleland North, South, and Midlands provinces) will be hosted by Bulawayo Province starting next week.

The Manyika and Karanga region, which is Manicaland and Masvingo Province, training will take place in Mutare next month.