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Plot Mhako
There have been mixed reactions within the arts sector with some mourning Elvis Mari’s departure while some were in a celebratory mood. I happen to be found amongst the latter group as I feel the need for new, creative, artistic, innovative and more informed young blood was long overdue.

The National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) was created through an Act of Parliament in 1985 with a thrust to develop and encourage an enabling regulatory and investment framework, which defines and empowers Zimbabwean creative industries.

Sadly the institution has been morbidly uninspiring.

It was a perfect example of a creative institution run by dull and uncreative people and for years Mr Mari presided over the state of near a moribund institution, but often hiding behind the excuse of underfunding from the Government as a scapegoat for failure. Well, he will be remembered for his penchant to officiate at events, rapidly issuing condolence messages whenever an artiste passed on and nothing else of perfect value beyond being the official mourner of the artistic dead.

Perhaps he should also issue a statement on the death of his presiding over the arts which was long overdue!

But even the devil smile often and Mari was not without one or two achievements.

On the positives, Mari was instrumental in establishing the National Arts Merit Awards (Nama), Jikinya Dance Festival and Culture Week among other programmes. NAMA remains the flagship for the National Arts Council and at one time became the most prestigious national accolade a creative could get. Unfortunately, over the past six years, Nama has steadily lost its integrity as it generated controversy over the nomination, adjudication and event execution process.

And this year, after it courted fresh controversy, true to his lacklustre dull form of not looking at issues with open eyes and always seeking a scapegoat, he defended Nama when it was clear even to the dead that the event had lost integrity in key areas of adjudication and decision making.

This integrity for Nama will be one of the key daunting tasks the new boss will face to bring back the lost glory.

He had his praise singers, people he positively inspired:

“What an awesome mentor he has been to me by helping me understand my role as an artiste in building an industry and being proactive. It was him (sic) that encouraged my company to convince National Arts Council to engage private companies to handle the TV production of NAMA and the event as a comedian made me understand that it was important to take an industry approach to building comedy in this country.”

“He pointed out that I could inspire an entire generation of comedy by showing them what comedy could do by pushing the envelope so other comics could follow suit. His open door policy has turned out to be a good thing for the comedy sectors which I can confidently testify that his advice and guidance truly worked wonders.” Carl Joshua Ncube said whilst paying tribute to Mr Mari’s tenure.

What does the departure of Mr Mari mean? Who will take over? Will it mark a new positive chapter for the body and the sector it superintends? Will the winds of change also blow through the Ministry of Arts as the new Minister Kazembe Kazembe takes charge to deliver on his pledge to see a positive transformation of the sector for the better of the artistes, supporting elements and the consuming mass? These are some of the questions players in the sector and the arts-loving nation possibly have in mind.

Zimbabwe can draw a lot of lessons in our back garden across the Limpopo in SA where arts and culture are regarded as viable industries contributing to the fiscus.

South Africa’s Arts Council equivalent offers technical, policy and financial support to arts organisations and individuals involved with projects in dance, literature, multi-discipline, theatre and musical, visual arts, and craft. The organisation plays a pivotal role in creating an enabling environment for creativity to thrive, build businesses and build a brand for SA and its tourism projects.

Zimbabwe, instead of helping the artistes with financial and other logistics, the arts council also stands hat in hand along with other artistes to get money from the Culture Fund in order to also beg for money and other funding! Little guess who gets money ahead of the small player. The national Arts Council of course!

Our country has enormous creative potential that could, directly and indirectly, help turn our fortunes and rewrite our great narrative. A lot of young artistes in all sectors have soldiered on in defiance for years to create and perfect their art under difficult economic conditions and with some crossing the borders to achieve phenomenal strides and in the process gaining great knowledge on cultural projects and management.

With Zimbabwe open for business and whilst most focus has been placed on other industries, there is one industry with a million of potential opportunities. The citizens are hungry for content be it music, dance, theatre, film, visual art, comedy, and others. Subscriptions for cable television, attendance at recent events like “Madirirano”, theatre shows, and many others bear testimony to the appetite.

It will be paramount for the incoming National Arts Council director to seize this opportunity and work with both the Government and the creative community to help create a conducive environment and build a multi-million dollar industry that serves its citizens and the global village.

The director should be able to inspire confidence amongst different players from promoters, artistes and related players to ensure curation, investment, and growth. Its saddening that 38 years after independence our arts are still not free as they are mortgaged to the civic society and foreign embassies as our Government plays spectator.

We need a director who is not only excited to officiate at events, read speeches but one who is informed about the sector from all corners of the country and in sync with global dynamics.

Under the now exited director, perhaps only a brain transplant would have gotten things in order and saved us from the lack of representation. Fortunately for us, he gracefully stepped down averting the need for any such medical intervention.