Online Reporter
Liberty Dube
Entertainment Correspondent
THE strong presence of senior Government officials from the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture and its agencies at the National Culture Indaba Policy Dialogue in Juliasdale underscores the State’s firm commitment to prioritising and supporting Zimbabwe’s creative sector.
Bringing together dozens of leading arts practitioners and thought-leaders, the indaba forms part of a broader national drive to strengthen capacity within the cultural and creative industries (CCIs).
Its objective is to equip artists and administrators with the skills and knowledge required to engage meaningfully in cultural policy processes, while also fostering networking, knowledge-sharing, and collective alignment towards sustainable sector growth.
This initiative is made possible through funding from the Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust, in partnership with the European union Delegation to Zimbabwe under the CreativeACTIONs 2 programme.
Among the key speakers is Culture Fund executive director, Rachel Lioga, who is expected to emphasise the importance of collective action in building a more inclusive and representative creative industry.
Chenhaka Trust, a recipient of a US$35,000 grant for the project running from October to December 2025, continues to shape Zimbabwe’s cultural landscape through development, advocacy, and capacity-building programmes. The activities will culminate in a Close-out Live Music Concert on November 27, 2025, at Scub Bar, opposite Montclair Hotel.
NACZ Assistant Director for Arts Promotions and Development, Barbara Gotore and other senior officials, were among the participants.
Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Advocate Misheck Mugadza, was yesterday (Thursday) expected to officiate at the milestone event.
Chenhaka Trust has been leading provincial dialogues in Bulawayo, Harare and Manicaland to gather broad input from stakeholders.
The initiative seeks to collect data demonstrating the cultural and economic contribution of the arts sector.
In an interview, Chenhaka Trust director, Taurai Moyo, said the indaba, which ended yesterday, brought together practitioners, Government representatives and key institutions.
He noted that participants also included international arts think tanks.
“We are immensely proud that this indaba reflects the national scope of our endeavour, drawing participants from all the 10 provinces. This broad representation ensures that the resulting policy recommendations will be inclusive, reflecting the unique challenges, opportunities and cultural diversity across the nation,” he said.
Moyo added that the high-level Government presence signals strong State support for the creative industries.
“The participation of officials from the parent ministry, led by the director of Arts Promotions and Development, Dr Biggie Samwanda, NACZ assistant director, Mrs Barbara Gotore and communications and marketing manager, Agga Nyabinde, shows Government’s commitment to strengthening this vital sector,” he said.
Moyo said the indaba was designed as a dynamic, multi-sectoral platform bringing together expertise from policy, academia, technology and grassroots artistry.
“This gathering ensures that the indaba will, not only discuss policy, but craft actionable, progressive and sustainable strategies for the development of Zimbabwe’s cultural economy,” he said.
