admin
Ntombiyolwandle Ndlovu, Sunday Leisure Reporter
BULAWAYO will for the first time have an arts festival that entirely caters for the youths.
The festival has been named the Fiesta Youth Festival and is being put together by ZIMBO music, Batholith Events.
The newly registered organisation will see the debut arts festival running from 22 to 30 April this year.
The Festival is targeting the population demographic between the ages of 18 and 35 which are known as the youth in Zimbabwe.
In an interview with Sunday Life one of the co-founders of the festival Dylan Mandaza said the official launch of the event will be at Zimbabwe Music Academy on the first day of the festival where various artistes from different genres will perform.
“The festival will be officially launched on April 22 and will see all arts genres ranging from comedy, fashion, poetry and performing arts among a lot others taking part in the festival. We have South African performers coming to support our local artistes’ performances,” said Mandaza.
Mandaza said the Fiesta aims to support urban arts and culture and empower youth in the country.
Mandaza said the vision of this Festival is to combine youth empowerment, social responsibility and world class entertainment all under one roof,” he said.
“We have a mission as a festival and that is to empower the local youth in the arts industry in Bulawayo and Zimbabwe by giving them a platform to perform for large crowds at the festival, promoting their art and further developing our local artistes.
The festival will also give artistes and cultural practitioners commercial exposure and opportunities to network with other artistes, managers and sponsors, as this would help develop the artistes’ careers,” he added.
Mandaza added that the festival will have its roots in Bulawayo and the Matabeleland region with room to grow into other provinces in Zimbabwe.
The festival is in partnership with The British Council and the Zimbabwe Academy of Music, Zimbabwe Germany Society, Carex, among others. The event will use two venues that are Zimbabwe Music Academy and Tin Cub in Suburbs.
derick.khumalo