Why most arts events fail during the Trade Fair period

Raisedon Baya

THE Zimbabwe International Trade Fair has come and gone and as usual it left many of us with a few things to talk about. Each sector always has some lessons to take home after each edition of the Fair.

As an artiste born and bred in the city I used to think that the Trade Fair period was a good opportunity for marketing the arts and that artistes were wasting this golden opportunity with each edition that takes place. Now I have a different opinion.

Long back I used to think that the hundreds, if not thousands of company executives and businesspeople that invade our city from other cities and other countries would love to see and partake in the cultural activities of the city. Since the city is touted as a cultural hub and the culture capital of the country we hoped to see the arts being part and parcel of the Trade Fair — being in the main programme. This especially when discourse in the arts and in Government was around the creative economy or arts as a business. But this has never materialised. In fact, the only arts you find in the programme is on the fringes and usually free art, by school students and armature groups.

To be honest some of us have come to the sad conclusion that actually the Trade Fair period is not the best time to put up a commercial show or any cultural activity as it will be a total failure. I know some people can jump up and say how come Jah Prayzah and his gang have been coming and making a killing during this time. My simple answer will be that bring Jah Prayzah and crew any time of the year to Bulawayo and you will always get a bumper crowd.

However, this period is not for everyone. Our new stance or opinion is based on years of observation. Some years ago there was an attempt to programme the arts within the Trade Fair programme itself. The idea died the year it was muted. Then Butshilo Nhleya tried to set up a festival, Bulawayo Culture Festival, to run concurrently with the Trade Fair. A noble idea it was but again it received no support and died a natural death. Every year I have seen one or two artistes try to put up shows during this time and always the shows are poorly attended and the artistes suffer great loses — putting up an event is not cheap anymore, ask any promoter.

The question that always troubles all those that have put up events and made loses is why, with so many people in Bulawayo during the Trade Fair period, are arts events so poorly attended. The answer is simple. There are too many free cocktails during this time for delegates. Why would people leave free beer and free food to go and pay for a cultural show? This year Khuliyo and friends put up an interesting show about the former President Robert Mugabe. Many people who could have come and watched the show are only asking about it now that the Trade Fair is over. So unless something changes, especially the culture of free cocktails, promoters have to know they are taking big risks by putting up shows during this time of the year.

I believe there is need for the arts sector to engage with Trade Fair management to have the sector benefit from the biggest business event in the country. The absence of the arts in the official Trade Fair programme says a lot about how businesspeople currently view the arts. But this should change. The arts can still exploit the Fair to its advantage.