Monica Cheru-Mpambawashe Lifestyle Editor
National Arts Council of Zimbabwe executive director Elvas Mari says inactive arts associations that only exist on paper will soon be deregistered. “We have sent out communication to arts associations and trusts to say that they must prove that they exist or face deregistration,” announced Mari at a NACZ annual meeting held at the Music Centre in Mount Pleasant on Wednesday.

Mari said associations have been given deadlines to provide reports of their activities including AGMs, challenges and other requirements to prove that they are not ghost organisations or briefcase operations in the hands of individuals rather than groups.

“In some associations you find that one person is the chairperson, the secretary and the membership. But to be a valid association you must be representing a group with shared interests, not an individual,” he said.

Mari said only about a fifth of the 105 associations registered with the council appear to actually exist.

“There are only about 20 organisations that are active. We see them at meetings, we hear of them or attend their activities and we come across them at other forums so we know that they are there.

“As NAC we would rather serve those 20 instead of saying that we represent 105 associations when the majority are invisible. So we will deregister

Speaking at the same occasion NAC deputy director Nicholas Moyo said that artists and arts practitioners wishing to be recognised by the authorities must be part of associations, trusts or other properly constituted organisations.

He was responding to a question from the floor enquiring how Zimbabwean arts practitioners including those outside the country who are not part of the NAC network could access information from NAC.

“We cannot be dealing with individuals. We deal with organisations because we cannot be going after people to find out if they are really who they say are. We disseminate information through associations and trusts affiliated to us,” said Moyo.

Arts associations represented at the meeting which numbered about 20 were encouraged to acquaint themselves with international conventions affecting their industry and apply for funding through institutions like the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

Stephen Chifunyise, a UNESCO consultant and multi-talented artist himself presented a paper on some of the conventions and funding cycles that are available.

He said that he is available to train individual associations and trusts on how to structure their applications.

He informed participants that UNESCO has created funds for Africa and the region yet few local organisations are taking up the opportunities because they are not aware of the conventions and the role they should be playing in preserving, rejuvenating and passing on cultural practices and elements of intangible heritage.

Chifunyise said he can be engaged through NAC or UNESCO offices to train arts practitioners on the conventions and funding application processes at not cost to the inviting organisation.

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