News from Nhimbe Trust by Josh Nyapimbi:
Thirty five (35) Zimbabwe’s leading creative sector leaders convened in Harare on 26 May to deliberate and adopt the creative sector’s National Plan of Action for Arts and Culture (NPAAC) for the next 5 years. The NPAAC National Conference was a culmination of three high profile Regional Consultative Meetings held nationally; to explore the National Cultural Policy of Zimbabwe and formulate and the creative sector’s Action Plan, which will inform and guide the creative sector in Zimbabwe. A total of 120 cultural workers participated in the consultative meetings nationally, and a further 500 were consulted through emails and other social media.
The main highlights of the NPAAC National Conference were a key note address on the Role Of Civil Society Organizations in Shaping the Creative Sector in Africa by Paul Brickhill; A SWOT Analysis of the Arts and Culture Operating Environment by Dudu Manhenga and Cont Mhlanga; and A SWOT Analysis Artists Mobility in Zimbabwe and Africa by Farai Mupfunya.
Key delegates at the Conference included Daves Guzha, Dr Susan Heins, Walter Muparutsa, Professor Hebert Chimhundu, Dr Jacob Mapara, Priscilla Sithole and Ericah Gwetai.
Professor Mbuyamba the executive director of OCPA was the respondent for the plenary discussion to deliberate and adopt the NPAAC.
A Steering Committee comprising of Daniel Maphosa (Chairperson) Virginia Phiri, Dudu Manhenga and Dr Jacob Mapara was set up to lead the implementation of the Creative’s Sector’s NPAAC. Nhimbe was mandated to continue its role of secretariat.
The immediate key priorities of the Steering Committee are to:
1. Inform and seek buy in (on the creative sector’s NPAAC born of the National cultural policy) from the Arts Council and the government’s Department of Art and Culture.
2. Inform UNESCO about the NPAAC and seek buy in through the new UNESCO country strategy. We are grateful to Professor Mbuyamba for recommending the NPAAC to UNESCO and facilitating the meeting.
3. Appraise our partners, British Council and MIMETA.
4. Finalise the NPAAC Document with technical support from Farai Mupfunya, Professor Mbuyamba and Professor Hebert Chimhundu.
5. Convene an Action Planning Retreat for the Steering Committee.
6. Launch the NPAAC
7. Rollout the NPAAC
