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Selmor Mtukudzi

Mercy Bofu, Arts Correspondent
PREPARATIONS for the Chimanimani Arts Festival to be held in Manicaland from August 9 to 11 are at an advanced stage with organisers saying this year the event will be bigger and better. Festival director Chido Musasiwa Gutu confirmed that the festival would go ahead and they are looking forward to hosting a successful event.
The festival, which starts this Friday, will draw several artistes from around the country including Sniper Storm, Alexio Kawara, Progress Chipfumo, Selmor Mtukudzi, Cheza Giants, Mike Bere and others from Chimanimani district.

Though the preparations are in on course, Gutu bemoaned financial constraints faced by the organisers.
“Despite the tight budget, the event is going on though due to these challenges the usual three-day festival has been reduced to two days due to inadequate funds,” she  said.

On Friday the event will be graced by Sniper and Kawara among others as it will take the whole night and the organisers are promising that it will be a thriller.
The event will see 60 percent of the local artistes performing at the arts festival.

Bronwyn Mushonga, one of the organisers of the event, said they are looking forward to many people to attend the event especially locals and others around the country as the festival is meant to bring together people countrywide in a celebration  of culture.

“We strive to bring together people from different corners of the district, the nation and the world to experience the unity of purpose that prevails at the annual festival in the scenic environment of Chimanimani” said Mushonga.

The event provides a platform for community-based arts and crafts as evidence by some of the activities like the chief’s ceremony which will be held on the 9th with cultural activities taking place.

It also aims at promoting culture by exposing the audience to a wider scope of arts and crafts from outside the district.
Mushonga also said they were looking forward to many guests at the event including National Arts Council director Mr Elvas Mari, Pamberi Trust and other non-governmental organisations.

The festival is a non-profit-making event which is the country’s biggest free-entry arts carnival and it is known for providing unique presentation of different art genres ranging from music, dance, theatre, drama, comedy and storytelling.

The event will be held at the Chimanimani grounds known as Chimanimani Green.