Online Reporter
Latwell Nyangu,
Zimpapers Entertainment Hub
ORGANISETS of the 24th National Merit Awards (NAMA) 2026 edition are pleased with the response so far, having received a total of 800 submissions.
However, despite this overwhelming interest, they want even more entries.
This year’s theme is “Fearless Creativity.”
NAMA features nine competitive categories, alongside one honorary category for Special Awards, culminating in a total of 44 awards.
The National Arts Council of Zimbabwe, along with its partners, has been actively promoting awareness campaigns to encourage participation from artists across the nation.
Creatives are invited to submit works produced between December 1, 2024, and November 30, 2025.
The awards ceremony will be managed by the newly-appointed event teams, Scarlet Studios and Events Evolution, who are preparing a glamorous and prestigious event.
In an interview, NAMA Operations and Communications Manager Gift Tenga said the submissions to date have been impressive.
“The response to submissions has been very good and consistent with previous years.
“So far, over 800 submissions have been received, and we expect this number to spike in the coming days, thanks to the enthusiastic feedback from our recent social media outreach.”
Tenga noted that many participants tend to submit their entries close to the deadline, thus reiterating the importance of early submission.
The current deadline is set for November 30, but because that day falls on a Sunday, it may be extended to December 1.
“Resonating with the theme, we invite all artists to submit their ‘fearlessly creative’ works.
“We will intensify our communication efforts across all platforms this week to encourage more submissions.
“The feedback since announcing the categories has been overwhelmingly positive, with many welcoming the introduction of new categories, such as the Fashion Awards and Digital Arts Awards,” he added.
Tenga is excited about the opportunity to build on the legacy of the previous event managers, JCMC, while adding their unique creative touch.
He also assured that guests can expect an unforgettable experience at the awards ceremony, designed to leave a lasting impression on artists, VIPs, and all guests.
“We encourage as many submissions as possible to broaden the pool of artists considered for the awards.
“In total, 44 awards will be presented across 10 major categories.”
