Silenkosi Moyo
Art associations have played a significant role in shaping Bulawayo’s creative landscape for more than a century.
Their history can be traced to the Bulawayo Art Club, established in 1916 by a small but dedicated group of visual artists and art enthusiasts committed to promoting the appreciation and development of art in the city.
The club’s 1951 constitution made specific reference to the intention to establish an art gallery in Bulawayo.
This was significant, as it demonstrated that artists and organisers were already thinking beyond individual artistic pursuits towards building permanent institutions that would give art a lasting place in the city’s public life.
One of the prominent figures associated with this early period was Josephine O’Farrell, a visual artist who chaired the Bulawayo Art Club in 1959 before founding the Rhodesian Society of Artists in 1968.
Whatever the historical context, the commitment to organising and formalising artistic activity was evident. These associations were more than social clubs or gatherings of art enthusiasts. They sought to create continuity, provide platforms for artists and expand public engagement with visual art.
Following independence, this tradition continued through organisations such as the Visual Artists Association of Bulawayo, established in 1987 by founding members, including the late Stephen Williams and Lauryn Arnott.
Its annual exhibitions, staged at various venues across the city, provided important opportunities for artists to showcase their work, reach wider audiences and gain professional recognition.
Such platforms were sustained through collective effort, coordination and a shared commitment to advancing the visual arts, often by individuals whose contribution received little public recognition.
A review of records at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Bulawayo library, as well as past editions of Chronicle, reveals the consistent activity of these associations over the years.
One of their most important contributions was establishing a structured and repeatable approach to organising exhibitions.
They introduced essential processes, including submission deadlines, selection criteria, exhibition requirements, pricing guidelines, catalogues and media engagement.
These were not merely administrative procedures but mechanisms that helped professionalise exhibitions and give artists a more organised route into the public domain.
The associations also developed relationships with exhibition venues, gradually building familiarity and trust with institutions.
They maintained records of artists, meetings, catalogues, invitations and media coverage, creating an institutional memory that allowed subsequent exhibitions to build on previous experiences.
This is central to the development of a sustainable arts sector. Talent alone is not enough; structures are needed to transform individual creativity into a lasting public and cultural resource.
Without associations, exhibitions can easily become individual initiatives that depend on personal networks and available resources.
An artist may mobilise friends, secure a venue and organise a showcase, only for the initiative to end once the exhibition closes. The next project then begins almost from scratch.
Associations help break this cycle by creating continuity and ensuring that artistic activities build on one another.
While the artist produces the work, the wider creative ecosystem determines whether that work remains confined to private spaces or becomes part of the city’s shared cultural experience.
Bulawayo’s art associations also made use of the exhibition spaces available to them at different times.
Venues such as Meikles, CH Naake, the Grand Hotel, now Bulawayo Centre, the Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe, Everyman’s Studio, Rhocem House and, later, the Bulawayo Art Gallery, now the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Bulawayo, provided platforms for showcasing visual art.
This history demonstrates that a vibrant arts sector does not emerge overnight. It develops through sustained effort, regular programming, access to exhibition spaces and the cultivation of audiences.
In the age of social media, there is a temptation to regard art associations as outdated. Artists can now showcase their work online, sell directly to buyers and reach audiences beyond national borders.
However, visibility does not necessarily translate into sustainable careers.
A popular social media post may attract attention, but it does not automatically provide professional networks, institutional recognition or long-term market opportunities.
Artists still need physical exhibition spaces, credible curatorial processes and organisations that can support their professional development.
The question, therefore, is not whether art associations remain relevant, but what role they should play in shaping Bulawayo’s contemporary creative industry.
Should they simply organise exhibitions, or should they actively develop artists’ careers?
Should they continue relying on familiar names, or create opportunities for emerging and previously marginalised talent?
Should they compete for visibility, or invest in building audiences and sustainable markets?
These are important questions because the future of the city’s arts sector depends on the ability of its associations to respond to changing needs.
Their relevance lies in their capacity to achieve what individual artists often struggle to accomplish alone: provide continuity, establish credibility and create a collective voice.
They should serve as bridges between artists and audiences, emerging talent and established institutions, as well as creative expression and economic opportunity.
However, organising exhibitions and developing artistic programmes are only part of their responsibility. Art associations are also organisations that must uphold sound financial and administrative practices, particularly when handling membership subscriptions, sponsorships and donor funding.
Once money is collected, an association becomes a custodian of its members’ and supporters’ trust.
In Zimbabwe, the legal structure under which an organisation is registered determines its governance and compliance obligations.
Arts organisations may operate under different legal arrangements, including registration as Private Voluntary Organisations or trusts through the Deeds Registry.
Each structure carries specific requirements relating to governance, accountability and reporting.
The basic principle, however, remains the same: once an association handles funds, it must operate as a properly managed organisation rather than an informal group of individuals.
This requires transparent accounting, proper record-keeping, clearly defined signatories and banking arrangements, approved budgets, separation of personal and organisational finances, regular financial reports to members and responsible procurement practices.
These measures should not be viewed as bureaucratic burdens but as safeguards that protect members, sponsors, donors and the reputation of the wider arts sector.
Where public resources are involved, the responsibility to account for their use becomes even greater. Arts organisations seeking public support, funding and institutional recognition must demonstrate that they can manage resources responsibly.
This calls for honest reflection within the sector. Are members receiving financial reports that account for their contributions? Are funds raised in the name of associations being used for their intended purposes? Who is responsible for ensuring that financial decisions are transparent and accountable?
These questions are fundamental to the survival and credibility of arts organisations. Without sound governance, even well-intentioned associations risk losing the confidence of their members and partners, undermining their ability to serve the creative community.
Bulawayo’s art associations have laid an important foundation for the city’s visual arts sector. The task now is to build on that legacy by developing structures that respond to contemporary realities.
The associations that will make a lasting difference are those that create credible platforms and markets for artists, deliberately widen access to opportunities and manage their resources with transparency and integrity.
Bulawayo has no shortage of artistic talent. What remains important is building strong, accountable and sustainable structures that allow that talent to flourish collectively and contribute meaningfully to the city’s cultural and economic development.
*Silenkosi Moyo is the Regional Director (or Regional Manager) of the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Bulawayo*
