Chronicle Editor
Limukani Ncube, Editor
AS the country journeys towards attaining Vision 2030 where it is poised to be an Upper Middle-Income Economy, the consumption of cultural, sport and recreational products and services are expected to increase from 15% as at 2020 to 40% by 2025.
According to the country’s National Development Strategy 1, in order to increase promotion and safe guarding of arts, culture and heritage, the country needs effective strategies that provide the framework for how to understand, preserve, manage, integrate, interpret and promote heritage and strengthen family values both in the immediate and long-term future.
Some of the strategies include enhancing investment in local cultural resources including tangible and intangible heritage such as traditional knowledge and skills, as well as music, dance, theatre and festivals. The development strategy also speaks to the development of sustainable creative economies, among other strategies.
An academic, David Murray, says terms such as “creative economy,” “creative class,” and “cultural economy” are becoming more common among urban planners, arts administrators, economic developers, business and municipal leaders. He says these terms reference a variety of types of jobs, people, and industries, including the sectors of visual, performing, and literary arts, as well as applied fields like architecture, graphic design, and marketing.
Whatever label is used, he argues, the use of terminology linking culture and the economy indicates recognition of the connections among the fields of planning, economic development, arts and culture. This buttresses the argument that activities of the arts and culture sector and local economic vitality are connected in many ways.
“Arts, culture, and creativity can improve a community’s competitive edge to create a foundation for defining a sense of place to attract new and visiting populations to integrate the visions of community and business leaders to contribute to the development of a skilled workforce.”
He reckons that culture has the power to transform entire societies, strengthen local communities, foster strong family values and forge a sense of identity and belonging for people of all ages. Furthermore, culture plays an essential role in promoting sustainable social and economic development for future generations.
It has been proven time and again that economic development is enhanced by concentrating creativity through both physical density and human capital and the recognition of a community’s arts and culture assets (and the marketing of them) is an important element of economic development.
The launch of the Bulawayo Heritage Corridor by President Mnangagwa was a milestone that should change the face of the creative industry and tourism in the city. This came after the city had revived excitement and appreciation of the arts through the annual red carpet Roil Bulawayo Arts Awards. Furthermore, investment in arts is important because arts and cultural activities can draw crowds from within and around the community. And increasing the number of visitors as well as enhancing resident participation helps build economic and social capital.
“Planners can make deliberate connections between the arts and culture sector and other sectors, such as tourism and manufacturing, to improve economic outcomes by capitalising on local assets. Arts and culture-related industries provide direct economic growth for the state and local communities. Arts and culture create job opportunities and also stimulate local economies through consumer purchases and tourism. Tourism centred on culture and arts contribute greatly to economic growth by providing attracting revenues. The creative sector attracts young talented workers to participate in the contemporary workforce,” says blogger, Harvey Stewart.
“In economic and employment terms alone, the arts are gold,” says Marcus Desando, the chief executive of the Arts and Culture Trust (ACT) in South Africa. The creative sector in South Africa is leading the pack, as it has contributed to the job market in South Africa. The same has happened in Nigeria in the film sector, and in Ghana to some extent.
Botswana and Namibia also have unique art and cultural products.
Reports say; “South Africa did its first cultural and creative industries mapping study in 2014. It showed that the industries had created between 162,809 and 192,410 jobs, about 1.08% to 1.28% of employment in the country, and that they contribute 2.9% to Gross Domestic Product. The industries are also a potentially important contributor to social cohesion and nation-building through the promotion of intercultural dialogue, understanding and collaboration.”
Bulawayo, which has long been touted as the melting pot of arts and culture in the country, can lead in making arts and heritage products put food on the table of arts practitioners, and more can be done with collaborations with the tourism sector.
National Arts Council director Mr Nicholas Moyo is on record saying the recently held Bulawayo Arts Festival, a brainchild of Nhimbe Trust and Bulawayo City Council, was testimony to the city being a cultural hub and also taking a position to use arts and culture for economic development.
“We see the Bulawayo Arts Festival coming at the right time when Government is working on reviving industries in Bulawayo, building the economy around local resources. The festival is therefore playing a critical role in the economic recovery by creating a platform for artistes,” said Mr Moyo.
Officially opening the Second Edition of the Bulawayo Cultural Arts Festival, President Mnangagwa said the cultural industry has vast economic potential.
“Under the Second Republic, my Government made a bold and deliberate decision to correctly portray and promote our rich history and cultural heritage. To this, there is no going back. Local authorities must continue renaming. We still have buildings and roads with names that are not local, if you go to America or anywhere else, you don’t find Shona or Ndebele names but you still have foreign names here. Please wake up!” said the President.
Before officially opening the festival held under the theme “Enhancing Local Government Participation in Cultural Governance”, the President toured Inxwala Grounds, the Hanging Tree, the late Father Zimbabwe Joshua Nkomo statue, the National Museum and St Mary’s Cathedral Basilica.
“The festival affords us yet another opportunity to celebrate and promote our rich heritage, culture and arts with specific focus on the Urban Cultural Heritage. It further augments my Government’s quest to ensure that cultural professionals, practitioners, artists and our citizens create, produce, disseminate and enjoy a broad range of cultural goods, services and activities,” President Mnangagwa said.
The creative sector is sitting on gold, and its time arts practitioners uncover that gold for the benefit of themselves, their families and the nation at large.
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