Online Reporter
Mbulelo Mpofu, recently in Pretoria, South Africa
Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
The National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) is pushing for stronger integration with fellow arts councils across the continent as part of efforts to improve service delivery and uplift Africa’s creative industries.
This thrust towards regional synergy was highlighted by NACZ executive director, Napoleon Nyanhi, during an interview at the Music In Africa Conference for Collaborations, Exchange and Showcases (ACCES25), held recently in Pretoria, South Africa.
Nyanhi described ACCES25 as an ideal platform for strengthening continental collaboration. He noted that the conference’s key theme, synchronisation, resonated, both in the technical sense of music licensing and as a broader call for harmonised creative sector strategies across Africa.
“The discussion of syncing at ACCES stood out. Beyond the licensing aspect, it speaks to a larger need for unified regional approaches. Collaboration is no longer a luxury; it is a necessity.
“The NACZ is thus looking forward to being in sync with other arts councils in the region,” said Nyanhi.
He said aligning operations, sharing best practices and coordinating policy frameworks would expand opportunities and markets for African artistes.
“By harmonising our approaches, we amplify our collective voice, create larger markets for our artistes and improve the sustainability of our creative industries. Isolation stifles growth, synergy unlocks potential.”
Nyanhi said Zimbabwean creatives must strategically position themselves to benefit from the growing demand for music synchronisation across multimedia platforms. The NACZ’s regional drive has already recorded progress, with the council recently signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Arts Council of South Africa (NACSA).
The MoU establishes structured collaboration to jointly promote, exchange and develop the arts and culture sectors in both countries.
Nyanhi said such partnerships will help professionalise the creative sector, increase access to new markets, and boost regional visibility for Zimbabwean artistes.
ACCES, a recognised pan-African industry platform, brings together musicians, producers, promoters, policymakers and creative entrepreneurs. Its mission aligns closely with NACZ’s goals of strengthening knowledge exchange and nurturing emerging talent.
Nyanhi said the NACZ will continue seeking similar cooperative frameworks across the continent to ensure Zimbabwe remains firmly engaged in Africa’s growing creative economy.
“Our role is to ensure Zimbabwean artistes are not left behind. Regional collaboration helps us achieve that,” he said.
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derick.khumalo