Lack of funding hampers artistes

assistance to enable them to sustain their musical careers.

Upcoming gospel artiste Chenjerai Chinogureyi described the financial situation as dire.
“Our arts sector really needs assistance especially young emerging artistes who are faced with financial problems. We have so much talent in Zimbabwe, but we lack financial support. Money becomes a vital resource that we need to kick-start and sustain our musical projects until we can stand on our own,” said Chinogureyi.

Lack of financial support pushed out a number of talented and promising artistes; after it dawned on them that it would be an uphill task for then to acquire the money needed to sustain their musical projects.

Some of the names that easily come to mind include talented urban groover Ngoni Kambarami, Leonard Mapfumo and King Labash.
Talent alone, without the necessary financial and material support, could not take them further and they had to throw in the towel, when the going got tough.

Most of these artistes are now engaged in other projects apart from music.
“Something should be done to revive our arts scene so that some of our urban grooves pioneers can come out of their shells following financial problems they encountered.

“I am one of the persons who once faced the same problem. The game was not paying since we did not have instruments,” said Taurai Mandebvu.
Upcoming hip-hop artiste Spencer “Meklyn” Madzingaidzo of the “ZRP” hit song believes he can get recognition if he gets the chance to stage live shows where he can mingle with renowned musicians and sponsors.

“We understand that sponsors are not coming after most upcoming artistes and are rather going for established musicians, arguing that it does not make business sense to bankroll an upcoming artiste and make a loss in the end. As aspiring musicians we can only make a breakthrough by staging live shows and competing in national shows like the Chibuku Road to Fame to impress promoters,” he said.

Zimbabwe’s arts sector, which is trying to recover following dollarisation, is gradually gaining momentum and has become a hub for international artistes who are trekking in every month to stage live shows.