In a bid to continue promoting arts and culture in different parts of the country, organisers for inaugural Nyanga Arts Festival have said it was a great opportunity for established and upcoming artistes to share the stage in a different environment.
The festival which is a brainchild of Nhimbe Trust is set in the rolling hills of Zimbabwe's Eastern Highlands, with diverse artistic presentations and shining a light on Heritage Tourism and Climate Change.
The festival began yesterday and is expected to end tomorrow according to the line up.
On the cards are music performances and environmental theatre with leading artists of Zimbabwe, visual arts, a music business workshop and an NGO Directors retreat.
Alongside cultural heritage, sight-seeing and nature tours on offer from local operators, there is a cultural and environmental display with something for everyone.
In an interview with the festival executive director Josh Nyapimbi said the heritage preservation is at the core of the Nyanga Arts Festival, and its rallying theme is "Cultural Heritage Tourism and Climate Change."
"The programme is alive with diversity -- from deep traditional to popular contemporary African music, environment-conscious theatre, the work of sculptors and craftspeople of Nyanga, a music business masterclass and NGO directors summer retreat, sampling of fine Nyanga ciders and other produce, nature and sightseeing tours -- something for everyone and a great family weekend outing," explained Nyapimbi.
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"Scattered across the festival pages are the names of leading artistes -- the lady Feli Nandi, Jah Prayzah, "Mangoma" Moyo and "Music According to Percussion," Memory Kumbota and Zenzo Nyathi, MC Abisha Palmer, the artist "Mystery" and "Sarungano and The Storytellers Band."
He said the festival's vision is to ensure that Nyanga becomes the leading global eco-friendly heritage tourism destination and to enhance tourism in Nyanga through amplifying its eco-friendliness through arts, culture and heritage.
National Arts Council of Zimbabwe director Nicholas Moyo said the festival came at a great time as the entertainment industry in Zimbabwe is growing.
"The hosting of the inaugural Nyanga Arts Festival is a much-welcome development for the Cultural and Creative Sector in Zimbabwe and provides proof that the sector has managed to pick itself up and recover from the ravages of the Covid-19 pandemic," he said.
"The festival is a unique opportunity to uplift Zimbabwe's diverse arts and cultural products while promoting and showcasing Nyanga as a tourist destination of choice. I would like to congratulate the organisers for putting up this event which provides a platform for artists to showcase their craft, share experiences in the workshop accompanying the festival and above all increase the platform for the consumption of local Cultural and Creative Sector products and services." However, Nyanga Arts Festival is the only local festival with a mandate that encompasses heritage tourism and climate change, and an unparalleled resource for mitigation and resilience. The festival is a key platform for raising awareness to reduce the carbon footprint of tourism establishments in Nyanga.
