Online Reporter
Trust Khosa
Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
WITH two days left before the 24th National Arts Merit Awards ceremony, attention will certainly be on this year’s event managers, who begin their five-year tenure this weekend.
The National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) has appointed Scarlet Studios in partnership with Events Evolution as the new event managers.
Expectations are high from fans, who anticipate a polished show from the event managers, who have replaced Jacaranda Culture and Media Corporation (JCMC).
Fans will expect high standards in stage design, lighting, and overall production to ensure the event lives up to expectations.
Over the years, Jacaranda Culture and Media Corporation (JCMC) has been heavily criticised for planning booms that marred the event, and they have responded to constructive criticism to improve it. JCMC had success in terms of time-keeping, red-carpet events, and holding rehearsals with nominees. However, the former event managers received sticks after some nominees and winners opted to send representatives to collect their gongs on their behalf.
This is one area where Scarlet Studios, in partnership with Events Evolution, will be expected to improve and ensure the NAMAs retain their glamour and gloss.
There are genuine fears that the new managers might find the going tough, as various stakeholders remain sceptical of them.
Inexperience is another genuine fear among stakeholders, but the new event managers, who were assessed by the NACZ, will have a point to prove. To ensure the NAMAs regain their glamour, fans will be expecting a flawless show.
After a year of preparations, the event managers have no justification to flop.
They should have learnt from the previous event managers.
As expected, criticism will always be there, but people expect nothing but a polished show.
From the red carpet to the main show, guests will be expecting nothing but fireworks.
With new event managers in place, expectations are high.
The newcomers, who have a five-year tenure ahead, are expected to address their predecessors’ shortcomings and make NAMAs one of the best award ceremonies in Africa and beyond.
While the new event managers were focused on assembling a flawless awards ceremony, the NACZ chiefs admit new entries. After all, Scarlet Studios and Events Evolution had ample time to organise their operations.
It would be a disservice for the new event managers to start off poorly after passing the interviews with distinction.
Technical glitches and poor coordination are expected to become a thing of the past at the NAMAs. In terms of nominees, NACZ has been known for casting its nets wider, as was the case last year.
Last year, nine-year-old Skanyiso Ngwenya of Victoria Falls, who starred in the production “Rise in Rise,” was voted Outstanding Actor, with critics praising the organisers for rewarding creatives based on merit rather than sympathy.
Ngwenya has since paved the way for other young actors to take the arts seriously, becoming not only a torch-bearer but also a role model.
In terms of nominees, the 24th NAMAs will also have its talking points.
Visual artists, who have been marketing Zimbabwe overseas through their art collections, were also honoured at last year’s edition.
Last year’s event is best known for rewarding excellence in visual arts, as Moffat Takadiwa of Mbare Art Space was voted Outstanding Male Artist.
This was a triumph for a sector once regarded as a preserve for the elite. As has become the norm, music — akin to football in sports — commands a huge following; last year’s event had talking points that divided opinion. Production-wise, all eyes would be on Scarlet Studios in partnership with Events Evolution.
Meanwhile, fashion icon Hollywood Lee, Bulawayo-based media personality Taboka Nleya, and Eugene from Power FM will host the red carpet, bringing together fashion authority, regional media influence, and broadcast experience. The trio’s appointment has already generated excitement within creative circles, with many viewing it as a progressive step toward elevating the awards’ overall presentation.
Organisers say the move reflects the evolving identity of NAMA, one that is increasingly global in outlook while remaining grounded in local culture.
