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Vongai Mbara and Sibongile Maruta Arts Reporters
Ten finalists of the Zimbabwe Championships of Performing Arts (Zicopa) yesterday left the county for the World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) in California, US.

Dubbed the Olympics of the Arts, the finalists will represent Zimbabwe where they will compete against 63 other countries from July 3 to 15.

The contestants range from guitarists, dancers, actors, vocalists, drummers, piano players, models and marimba players.

Addressing journalists at the press conference, Zicopa co-founder Nyarayi Jessica Tandy said she was optimistic that the participants will excel on the international platform.

“This is our third year participating at the world championships of performing arts.

“As Zicopa we dared to take a leap of faith and we became a platform for the young industry to learn how to fly on an international platform.  The first year we joined we came back with the grand championship of the world which was in instrumentals. We came back with 41 medals, the majority of them gold,’’ she said.

Tandy further said the size of the team will not discourage their competency.

“We may have a small team compared to the other countries, but we have certainly made our mark and history as Zimbabwe since inception. Sixty contestants qualified for the team but only 10 made it to Hollywood due to lack of funds but they will carry the Zimbabwean brand with pride and professionalism,” Tandy said.

The team comprises of 13 people with 10 being contestants, one lecturer from Great Zimbabwe University Mr Renias Ngara and Mrs Josephine Mupawose, mother to one of the participants.

Zicopa was formed in 2015 and it is responsible for taking Zimbabwean talent to compete at the world championships of performing Arts in Hollywood.

It also focuses on unearthing African talent and exposing them to the global platform by participating in the world championships of performing arts in Hollywood, US.