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Simbarashe Mutizwa and Yoliswa Dube
NHIMBE Trust director Joseph Nyapimbi has challenged festival organisers to look into other ways of financing their activities instead of depending on grants.Speaking at the Ibumba Festival opening ceremony at Stanley Square, Makokoba, Nyapimbi said festival organisers in Zimbabwe were finding the going tough as they were depending on handouts from sponsors, since they were not able to sustain themselves.

He said as a result of that dependency syndrome, the quality of arts was being compromised.

“Free money has really compromised growth of the arts. We can’t develop an industry through grants and donations. Let’s forget it. We need an alternative financing model in the country and leave grants and donations to non-profits.

“The moment an artiste like Jeys Marabini begins getting money from Hivos or Culture Fund, that’s when you know that we’re losing the plot. He should be getting money from players such as CBZ or BancABC because he’s a businessman, not a charity case,” Nyapimbi said.

He said there was a need to interrogate and revisit the funding and financing models in the country.

“The tendency of receiving free money isn’t getting us anywhere. It’s even changing some bands to register as trusts so that they access those funds. Let’s look for other ways of funding our own projects.”

Nyapimbi also urged players in the arts industry to unite and support each other.

“It’s about time that we begin to recognise the best among us and support them. If we do so, all other struggling initiatives will come in place,” Nyapimbi said.

He, however, acknowledged efforts by the Bulawayo City Council to revive arts and culture in the city by establishing a cultural office.

“The City of Bulawayo recently passed a resolution of establishing a cultural office in the city. I’d like to challenge the city council that through this office, the arts and culture sector should benefit as they had no platform to interact with the City of Bulawayo.

“This office should also ensure that whenever there are arts and culture events of this nature in the city, banners announcing and alerting people coming into the city should be erected on all roads that enter the city so that our visitors know what’s happening,” said Nyapimbi.

While festivals held in Harare and Victoria Falls are generally well funded by companies, receiving over $500,000 in monetary sponsorship, Bulawayo festivals such as the ongoing Ibumba Festival do not have such support.

“It’s amazing how a company like Coca-Cola can part with $100,000 to sponsor Hifa and fail to sponsor festivals held in Bulawayo. Coca-Cola also has consumers here so if festival organisers approach them, I doubt they would refuse to support them,” Nyapimbi said.

Meanwhile, arts lovers braved the cold at Stanley Square, Ibumba Festival’s main stage, where a musical concert was held following the official opening of the festival.

Gospel outfit Vocal Ex, would not be deterred by a temporary blackout which threatened to dampen their performance.

Owing to a technical fault, Vocal Ex had to sing with neither instruments nor microphones but their powerful voices managed to keep the mood of the festival alive. When electricity was eventually restored after a few minutes, they continued as if nothing had happened, a sign of musical maturity and much to the delight of the audience.

Bulawayo Ensemble, a group of various local artistes brought together by Ibumba Festival director Simon Mambazo in preparation for the musical displays at the just-ended African Union Sports Council Under-20 Youth Games, revived the township jive as they sang various golden oldies including Mirriam Makheba’s Pata Pata, Yvonne Chaka Chaka’s Umqombothi and Lovemore Majaivana’s Umoya Wami among others.

A creative pantsula skit left dance lovers asking for more as various dancers took to the stage to showcase their talent.

Family Voices would not be outdone as they, too, delivered a polished performance.