The Sunday News
Arts Focus, Raisedon Baya
A YEAR or so ago one of the most vibrant arts places in Harare, the Book Café, went under due, mainly, to funding challenges.
The demise of Book Café was one of the saddest moments in the arts.
The demise also meant an end to many young artistes’ dreams. And why is that so? One may wonder. The answer is simple.
Here was a small space in the middle of Harare that had come and changed the arts scene, not only in Harare but the whole country and beyond. Book Café catapulted many artistes into international stardom. During its time Book Café hosted something almost every day. Performances, workshops or discussions for and about the arts and related issues. It was a space that breathed art every minute. So when it shut down many of us found ourselves questioning the future of the arts. Many young artistes in Harare temporarily stopped dreaming. During its time the Book Café was the envy of many. It was an informal hub, a place where artistes, in their varying shades, went and felt at home.
So why am I talking about the Book Café when it closed its doors long ago? Well, this is because last week I attended an all stakeholders meeting in Bulawayo where Nhimbe Trust announced their intentions to launch a similar project dubbed Bluez Café on 25 of May 2017. And to show their seriousness about the project Nhimbe Trust has roped in veteran arts managers Ian White and Penny Yon to help set up the project. Penny Yon and Ian White are former Book Café workers. In fact the success of Book Café is credited to these two. So the hope is that they will bring their experience, networks and ideas here to the City of Kings and help build a vibrant creative space that will meet the needs of Bulawayo artists of all discipline — music, spoken word, literary arts, crafts and many others.
During the stakeholders meeting, which was attended by over 60 artistes, Nkue Nkala whose stage name is Khuliyo said “we need something like Bluez Café in Bulawayo; we don’t have that space at the moment.” Thomeki Dube of Black Umfolosi concurred. He said “It is a strategic place for the arts, and comes at the right time, when such spaces are needed the most. Our artistes have no space to rehearse or perform.” That Bulawayo needs a place and a project like Bluez Café is beyond doubt. In fact the establishment of such a place is long overdue. When Bluez Café comes in May 2017 it should be a place where, if you want to know what’s happening on any day, you can go there and find something. In the same meeting Zanele Manhenga of Nobuntu went so far as to say “it’s a dream come true for us. For Bulawayo artistes.”
Josh Nyapimbi who heads Nhimbe Trust has promised that when Bluez Café hits the ground in May it will provide rehearsal space for artistes, lighting and sound equipment, internet and other crucial services to artistes. So all we can say is we can’t wait to see how this noble idea will impact the Bulawayo arts scene first, and then the rest of the world.
Away from the Bluez Café and to some performance news. On 26 April at Bulawayo Theatre Iyasa will be hosting the schools that came tops at the just-ended Isiphiwo Sami Talent Show. The show dubbed 1,2,3 Is one that features the top three schools which are Mzilikazi High, Gifford Boys High and Eveline High. If you haven’t experienced the quality of high schools drama this is the time to do so. All three are based on the 2017 theme Children Spaces; whose responsibility? While tackling the same issue the three shows are very different. Mzilikazi focuses on spectacle and technique of presentations. With Gifford you will enjoy the presentation of a well- knit ensemble. And Eveline are slowly becoming the masters of storytelling. Make a date with the talented youngsters.
