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The National Arts Council of Zimbabwe chief executive, Napoleon Nyanhi, has urged musicians to register with the council to ensure proper regulation and development of the sector.
He pointed out that many musicians are missing out on numerous opportunities and benefits due to a lack of information.
Nyanhi made these remarks during the Infocus Artistes Wealth Lab seminar held at the Zimbabwe College of Music, which attracted a large number of musicians.
The workshop, which featured arts regulatory leaders alongside representatives from the insurance and funeral services sectors, has been hailed as an eye-opener.
In his address, Nyanhi urged musicians to take their jobs seriously.
“As the National Arts Council, we are prioritising the professionalisation of our sector for the benefit of our stakeholders,” he stated. “The world has changed. The global creative economy is now one of the fastest-growing in the world. “Art is not a luxury; it is a commercially viable business that can sustain livelihoods if conducted the right way,” he shared.
“For too long, the narrative around being an artiste has been one of struggle, with parents discouraging their children from pursuing the arts, insisting instead that they focus on mathematics or science because of their own dreams for them.
“But today, we can tell you that this narrative is important. We are standing at the cusp of a new dawn, a renaissance of opportunities that can turn your hardships into sustainable growth.” He urged musicians to embrace technology for the development of the sector.
“Digital platforms have broken borders, especially with social media — Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter. The musician in our time can have a fan base in Australia or the United States. A visual artist in Mbare can sell their digital paintings all over the world, from China to Europe to America.
For example, a gentleman named Moffat Chagatio, who creates his art in Mbare, sold a piece to none other than Jay-Z.”
Nyanhi shared the benefits of registering with them for the development of the music sector, which commands a huge following.
“The National Arts Council is committed to ensuring that you have access to all the tools you need, not only to participate, but to dominate the space.
“The first step to becoming a professional artiste, or ensuring that you professionalise your craft, is to realise that you are a business. What you are doing is a business. Therefore, when there is a business, it is important to be registered, to be regularised, and to be recognised as such,” he stressed.
He further emphasised the need for creatives who operate as individuals or companies to register.
“As a young artiste or a mid-career artiste, you should register as a company. An artiste should operate under a proper name, have a bank account and establish proper structures. It is necessary to officialise yourself as a registered company and then register for tax,” Nyanhi said.
He added, “A lot of corporates are not allowed to engage in supply that does not have a tax identification. For you to be called an artist officially, you must be registered with the National Arts Council. You will receive a certificate that states what kind of artist you are. You will realise this when you try to apply for a visa to travel to the UK, the USA, or Australia.
“For instance, doctors are registered with an organisation that regulates their profession. As professionals and artistes, the certificate that the National Arts Council gives you will help you when applying for a visa, as they need a recommendation letter.”
Other organisations that participated in the workshop included the Insurance & Pensions Commission, Marketers Association Zimbabwe, CBZ Holdings, Star FM, ZiFM, Power FM, and Chartered Accountants Academy.
Online Reporter