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Tonderai Zvimba, Showbiz Reporter
INTWASA Arts Festival koBulawayo will be shutting down the year with a bang with a special edition of the arts fiesta.

Dubbed the Arts Extra, the special edition will run from December 27 to January 1.

Organiser, Raisedon Baya, said following last year’s success of the extra edition, they decided to bring it back for fans of the festival as well as those who will have missed the September one.

“Last year’s event was a resounding success. We realised there was a need in the market for quality family-oriented entertainment hence we decided to bring it back this year,” said Baya.

Last year, sponsors for the Intwasa Arts Festival koBulawayo funded Intwasa Arts Extra but for this year, Baya said they were going it alone.

“Intwasa funded the Arts Extra last year but this year, there’s no such money in our coffers. That’s why we’ve dropped the Intwasa name and are calling the event the Arts Extra.”

He said most artistes upon seeing the Intwasa brand tend to believe there is a lot of money, yet that is not the case.

“There a perception out there among artistes that when Intwasa is organising an event, that means there’s money. Most of our shows are self-funded meaning that individual production houses pay for overheads of their events.

“This means they’ll be paying for venues and the like and the gate-takings are theirs,” explained Baya.

The Arts Extra’s festivities will kick off with a “3 Sum” spoken word event on December 27 featuring Bulawayo’s finest poetesses, Tinashe Tafirenyika, Lady Tshawe and Black Lily at Devine Car Wash.

On that evening, a theatrical play Her Story will premiere at Bulawayo Theatre at 7PM.

On December 28, a play by Raisedon Baya titled The Witch Hunters will take theatre lovers back in time.

Indigenous Language Poetry will take place on December 29 from 3PM at Devine Car Wash followed by a theatre production by Savanna Trust of Ukama at Bulawayo Theatre at 6PM. Comedy lovers will be spoilt with a Comedy Night at 8PM at Devine Car Wash.

December 30 will be a theatre day with plays Thalitha Kouma by Victory Siyanqoba and Who’s Wise by Ulem Arts set to premiere at Bulawayo Theatre.

On New Year’s Eve, a theatre production by Homegrown Arts — The Last Days Of King Africa and Zandezi the play by Zimbabwe Arts Academy will be showcased at Bulawayo Theatre.

Closing off festivities on January 1 will be Iyasa who will celebrate their two decades of dance with a performance at the Bulawayo Theatre.

— @Sxoop_Kyu