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Mbulelo Mpofu, Showbiz Reporter
INTWASA Arts Festival KoBulawayo commenced on Tuesday with the screening of community films at Matshobana Hall.
The festival that will largely be held at the National Art Gallery of Zimbabwe (NGZ) in Bulawayo is being held under the theme “Reconnect”.
For a long time, Bulawayo’s annual flagship arts extravaganza has been held in September, but for some circumstances beyond the organisers control, it is being held in December.
Yesterday, a workshop for arts reporters was held under the banner, “Arts Reporting and Reviewing Workshop”. Radio personalities, bloggers, authors and arts reporters converged at the NGZ. The festival’s director Raisedon Baya presided over the proceedings and spearheading the discussions were veteran journalists Robert Mukondiwa and Busani Bafana.
Mukondiwa underscored the need for newsrooms to value the entertainment desk.
“Arts reportage needs appreciation. The arts desk has for long, been regarded as an afterthought and that’s where new interns are shelved. The arts desk needs to be held in high regard,” said Mukondiwa.
Some of the topics discussed at the workshop included “The state of arts reporting and criticism in Zimbabwe” and “How arts reporting and criticism should help uplift the arts sector”.
Busani Bafana addressed issues on journalistic ethics.
“Ethical considerations are a must when reporting on arts-related issues. Reporters need to be cognisant of such issues. Reporters need to be ethical in order to run away from brown-envelope journalism and misinformation.
“Reporters need to also think of the context when creating content. They need to criticise with context and deviate from adding unnecessary content that will only serve to destroy the arts sector. Fact and cross-checking must be done prior to the submission of art content. Reporters need to know their content,” said Bafana.
Meanwhile, art lovers are set for a series of events lined up for the Intwasa Arts Festival KoBulawayo. These include the premiering of Zandezi; The Vagina Monologues Africa; Women, Wine And Words; and the Intwasa Xtra Youth Concert closing things off at the art gallery. – @eMKlass_49
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