Zimura music and arts hub a global link Minister Judith Ncube

Mthabisi Tshuma, Showbiz Correspondent
THE Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (Zimura) music and arts hub is expected to help the country connect with the international community.

This was said by Minister of State for Bulawayo Metropolitan Provincial Affairs and Devolution Judith Ncube at the ground-breaking ceremony of the project in Bulawayo yesterday.

The ground-breaking ceremony was held at a 5 000 square-metre site in Emhlangeni suburb.

The music and arts hub is expected to accommodate among other things; an administration block that will house arts disciplines – music, theatre, dance, film and literary works; a multi-purpose sound proofed auditorium for performances and conferencing; and training and rehearsal rooms. A boarding facility to accommodate between 15 and 20 for cultural exchange programmes (local and international initiatives), music and arts library; music and arts museum and a cafeteria with Wi-Fi will also be put up.

“As Zimbabwe works on rebuilding relations with the international community, I wish to highlight the importance of also facilitating people-to-people exchange. It is spaces such as this emerging hub that will play a central and coordinating role in exporting the best of Zimbabwean culture.

“It is imperative therefore for the leadership of Zimura to establish cordial working relations with stakeholders in the city,” said Minister Ncube.

She commended the composers’ organisations for a milestone achievement not seen in decades in Bulawayo in terms of cultural infrastructure development.

“I wish from the beginning to commend this noble effort by Zimura. For decades, our arts infrastructure in Bulawayo has not evolved and this has had an adverse effect on the growth of the Creative and Cultural Industries.

“All forms of artistic expression require infrastructure. It is therefore of utmost prudence that Zimura is investing in a multi-purpose space that will provide direct technical and administrative support to the city’s creative practitioners.

It is not an everyday occurrence for an arts association to invest in infrastructure and in this regard, I say amhlophe to the Zimura Board for the exemplary leadership. May your wisdom multiply and inspire a new creative sector developmental trajectory,” she said.

Minister Ncube urged artistes from Bulawayo to lead in the construction of the music and arts hub.

Deputy Minister of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Dingumuzi Phuti who is also a Zimura board member and a Kalanga musician since the early 2000s, artistes should work effortlessly to ensure the success of the project.

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