Zimpapers Logo

Boniface Chimedza Arts Correspondent
Artists from a wide spectrum of genres were recently groomed on the essentials of digital marketing skills during a two-day workshop facilitated by ZimTrade in partnership with the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation.

Held at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe recently, the workshop provided local artists with a golden opportunity to hone their social media skills and use them to market their careers.

ZimTrade enlisted the services of Nikolina Kobali <https://www.nikolinakobali.com/> of NKDigital, a Harare based, Digital Marketing Institute (DMI) trainer and mentor who has to date assisted over 300 business owners and marketers across the country through her training, mentoring and digital marketing services.

Speaking to The Herald during the workshop, Kobali expressed gratitude in the way the artists had enthusiastically participated in the training sessions, describing the workshop as a success.

“I think they were a very engaged audience. There was a wide variety of skills from some of the artists who are using YouTube and Instagram. But I think we managed to cover and get good value to all of them and give them the tools that can really help all levels. I was really impressed how engaged they were as happy to share their experiences,” said Kobali.

“Well, most of the artists are really solopreneurs so they are presenting their artist skills; they are trying to get back in front of the public. They are doing everything; booking the gigs, marketing and doing the adverts themselves. So being solopreneurs is not very easy but at the same time they also build their own brand,” Kobali said.

The National Arts Council of Zimbabwe collaborated with the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in support of the workshop, which saw artists being trained about building and managing their brands online and on social media for the furtherance of their artistic careers.

Beauty Nakai Tsuro, a filmmaker who attended the workshop, applauded the initiative saying it was a good way of empowering the artists, opening doors for them on the market.