Online Reporter
Mthabisi Tshuma, recently in Harare
National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) executive director Napoleon “Napster” Nyanhi has hailed the creative sector as a key driver in achieving the country’s National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).
He made the remarks on Tuesday during the launch of Chenhaka Trust’s new project, “Shaping the Future of Zimbabwe’s Creative Sector”, an initiative designed to empower artistes and cultural leaders to influence policies shaping the arts and culture industry.
Napster said the project speaks directly to NACZ’s core mandate of developing, promoting, and regulating the arts.
“This initiative is not a departure from our mission; it is the bold, modern execution of it. It moves us from ad-hoc support to structured, systemic capacity building,” he said.
He added that the creative industries are central to national economic transformation.
“Our national development strategies, including NDS1, emphasise economic diversification, job creation, and youth empowerment. The creative industries are a prime vehicle for this. This project positions NACZ as a key contributor to national economic goals, moving the sector from the periphery to the centre of the economic agenda,” he said.
Napster noted that professionalising the creative sector remains a top priority for NACZ, as the council works to empower artistes to produce high-quality, globally competitive work that proudly represents Zimbabwe.
“This project is about equipping them to tell our stories authentically and compellingly. We all know the challenges – access to funding, limited business skills, and weak copyright protection. This is not a vague wish-list; it’s a targeted intervention designed to address these gaps.”
Calling for unity and vision, Napster challenged stakeholders to take bold, transformative action.
“Let us be the generation that shaped a future where a child in Bulawayo with a guitar, a painter in Harare with a vision, or a filmmaker in Mutare with a story knows they can build a dignified, prosperous life right here in Zimbabwe. ‘Shaping the Future of Zimbabwe’s Creative Sector’ is our vehicle — legitimate, necessary, and aligned with our highest purpose.”
He described the project as a roadmap toward a thriving, sustainable creative economy.
“I present to you not merely a project, but a strategic imperative, a collective roadmap to transition from a sector defined by potential to one of sustainable prosperity, global competitiveness, and cultural impact.
“We commend Chenhaka Trust, the Culture Fund, and the European Union for their invaluable support,” he said.
