Brian Rungano Temba
Artist support organisation Artists for Economic Development (Artists4ED) has called on all progressive artists with a positive message about Zimbabwe to come register with them.
Speaking to Tateguru TV, National Chairman for Artists4ED Takura Madziya said that the organisation will have a recruitment and registration meeting on Wednesday January 11, 2023 in Harare at Corner Simon Muzenda (Fourth) and Jason Moyo at 11.30am.
He said that the registration exercise was in preparation of a nationwide programme to give the Arts industry the much needed financial facelift that marries the development of the Second Republic with the livelihood of local artists.
“We intend to launch an exciting programme that is designed and aimed at grooming and coaching of budding artists, arming them with relevant information, links, and strategies that have made the bigger artists they look up to today, who they are.”
“The package includes mentoring and practical content generation support that shall be aimed at communicating the nation’s multitude of splendours to local audiences as well as to the rest of the world,’ said Mr Madziya.
Madziya said a lot of artists have the talent but lack the ability to commercialise it. This leaves many of them vulnerable and desperate to become mouth pieces of alien ideas which they might not subscribe to, all for the sake of survival.
“Artists4ED acknowledges that all artists have the right to express themselves freely and banks on the same liberty to empower artists who have beautiful stories to tell about where they come from. Sad or Joyful the story has to be told, and one narrative can’t have monopoly in the public space,” he added.
When asked to comment on the recent uproar on the controversial songs by Winky D he s“ Like I mentioned before, we are die hard believers in the artist’s rights as stated in the constitution of Zimbabwe. However all artists must also understand that every Zimbabwean has the same right to react to your message as stated in the same Constitution. Banning Artists affects more than one person, the band, the marketers, the venue owners, a whole business eco-system is blacklisted by proximity and their dependents suffer,” he said.
“However I am still to hear a song from Winky D appreciating the Government for being the best at availing Covid-19 vaccinations that saved lives of 99.9 percent of his fans that he has had since the days of Igo Figo. There are so many things to be grateful for in this beautiful nation. As artists we play a major role of casting spells and conditioning the minds of our fans and audiences.”
“As such, when we speak to the opportunities that await Zimbabweans in Agriculture, Mining, Tourism, Construction, and other sectors, we do more good than dampen the spirits of our audiences with lament and prophecies of a doom. ”
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