The Sunday News
Mbongeni Msimanga Sunday Leisure Correspondent
THE Beitbridge International Festival of Arts (Bifa), which is in its third year running is fast becoming a festival to reckon with, as it seeks to provide artistes from the border town with a platform to showcase their talent. This year’s edition of the festival roars to life on 22 October and will run until the 24th. The build-up to the arts jamboree is already taking place, as it seeks to promote local talent from the border town.
Bifa artistic director Nkululeko Nkala said this year’s festival would run under the theme Big Art, Small Town.
“We are already building up for the festival and we will showcase both dance and drama. The build-up has already started and we are aiming at promoting local talent in Beitbridge,” he said.
Nkala said they were hoping to identify talent at the festival and also expose Beitbridge as a hub of arts.
Nkala mentioned that it was time to rub off the notion that Beitbridge was a small town that doesn’t have the capacity to produce any talented acts.
“The festival will also bring out talent from Beitbridge, as most small towns have been sidelined in terms of talent identification. Most of the big artistes come from big towns, but we feel that we are sidelining these small towns,” said Nkala.
The festival is being sponsored by Culture Fund of Zimbabwe and Nkala said they were making significant strides, as the festival was fast becoming popular.
This year, popular Harare artiste, Peter “Dewa” Moyo affectionately known as Young Igwe will headline the event.
Nkala said they were hoping to get radio stations to cover the event.
“Our main headline will be Peter Moyo. The festival is being sponsored by Culture Fund. We are still calling on the corporate world to come on board to sponsor the festival, as this festival will bring life to Beitbridge.
“We also have partners from Beitbridge who will be coming on board to sponsor the festival. We are also hoping to get radio stations to cover the festival so that everyone has a feel of what will be taking place,” Nkala said.
The festival has had huge names such as Iyasa, Willis Wattafi, Clemence Magwaza, South Africa’s Professor, Dr Malinga and Alick Macheso performing since its inception.
Nkala said they were still calling on other artistes interested to perform at the festival to register.
