Get organised, artistes told

the arts council to get funding while its member associations were in disarray.
“Sport was allocated US$1 million by the Government, but we cannot say that about the arts because the associations are not organised.
“Let’s be organised first so that we can be heard. It’s difficult for the arts council to convene an indaba like this because we end up calling individuals without representatives.
“If our member association become organised, we can just call representatives who can represent different organisations, but this is not the case because we are not organised,” he said.

The indaba focused on issues to do with the role and function of a theatre producer, types of theatre producers, the status of theatre producers, production houses and venues — challenges and opportunities.

The indaba also offered an opportunity for theatre artistes to contribute to the ongoing review of the national cultural policy of Zimbabwe by identifying aspects which could constitute components of a national theatre policy.

Theatre practitioners said the holding of the indaba in Gweru was key to revive the sector in the Midlands province which has been dormant over the years.
ZiTA co-ordinator for Midlands province Lloyd Phiri said: “Theatre has been dormant in our province. Many theatre artistes are now into film where they shoot their plays and sell them to the public. This is because there is no longer any appreciation of theatre in the province.

“A typical example is where some civil organisations and individuals invite theatre artistes to perform at particular events just for a plate of sadza. There is therefore a critical need for developing audiences for stage theatre in the Midlands province.”

Lloyd Phiri and Champagne Nyangera, as ZiTA Midlands provincial co-ordinators, have created a theatre performance programme, “Feevah Saturday”, that is modelled on Amakhosi Theatre’s “Plays on Sunday” where every Saturday afternoon Gweru Theatre and Kwekwe Theatre will host theatre performances by different theatre groups in the province.
Also featured on the programme was Perfect Theatre Works who recently took their play, “Fifty-Fifty” to Amakhosi Theatre in Bulawayo.