Closure is not an option

Raisedon Baya
IN an environment where our governments, both national and local, do not financially support arts and culture and where most international funders/donors have pulled out of the sector; in an environment where the corporate sector hardly supports anything artistic outside the capital city, also not forgetting the current economic situation — where there are cash shortages and fluidity challenges in all corners of the country the 13th edition of Intwasa happened.

Let’s not forget that save for Hifa and Shoko most other festivals have died. Honestly, this year the Intwasa team had two options — to cancel the festival or to soldier on under extremely difficult conditions. The team chose the latter option and over 20 events happened. Of course to an outsider, especially one who chooses to ignore the operating environment, the festival is losing its glitter. But the festival team believes the survival of the arts fiesta is more important than anything at the moment because when the operating environment changes for the better it must find the festival still on its two feet.

Also important is that the festival is for ordinary people — those who come out every year to sing, dance, drink and have small episodic experiences that will make them home, feeling something different happened to them. Thousands came to the City Hall Car Park for that and these still believe in the festival. As long as these people continue to come and have fun then the festival will always be there, by hook or crook.

The Carnival

The Street Carnival happened. It was the first time Bulawayo attempted a carnival. True. It was not the best thing to happen to Bulawayo. Of course it was not a wow carnival for several reasons as most of the planned things — like creating floats, having several stages before the main City Hall stage, bringing groups from different communities — did not happen because of resources and time. But the small event that happened was a learning curve — more importantly it showed that Bulawayo is ready for something wild and uncontrolled. So for the team it’s back to the drawing board to see what’s possible and what’s not under the current environment. For those that like to measure and analyse events please do not compare the experiment with other established carnivals as it will take years and a changed operating environment to get the carnival to international standards.

The Main Stage

From inception the main stage has always been meant as the nerve centre of the festival. The festival pioneered City Hall Car Park as a performance space and today it is now the number one performance space for the city. Last year the main stage was only two days and regular patrons of the main stage complained about the few days and this year the days went back to four days, thanks to ZTA. During the festival the space is meant to provide free entertainment to the public — get the crowds to see acts they do not usually see during the year because these acts normally charge fees or perform in areas not accessible to whole families. The initial objective for having performances there was to provide access to these otherwise not accessible artistes.

Programming

Intwasa is a Bulawayo festival and its programming reflects that. All things being equal 65 to 90 percent of performers are meant to be local artistes. Every year the majority of acts are local, particularly those who would have been active throughout the year. There has been an unfair criticism that the festival repeats acts — Yes — the festival repeats the same artistes because they are the ones that are there in Bulawayo — Ndolwane Super Stars, Jeys Marabini, Ndux Jr, Clement Magwaza, Ramsey K, Iyasa and others. Can someone out there say which other bands or active artistes the festival has left out or sidelined? Mind you, the festival is only there to curate what’s there and available and not resuscitate dead/non-active artistes or bands.

If there is nothing new and exciting out there it is not the mandate of the festival to try and create new works. Remember a festival is only a one-week event. Artistes and arts promoters and even critics of the festival are free to create new content, new styles and genres, new concepts throughout the year. Bulawayo is the city of arts and not a one-event city. And besides a festival only exists to harvest what has been created and try and push it to a new and larger audience.

Lastly, there has been some calls for Intwasa to have more international artistes. Well, we wish it was as easy to bring in foreign artistes as it is to express that opinion. It is every festival organiser’s dream to have an impressive line-up of foreign artistes. But before we clamour for more foreign artistes let’s ask ourselves what will be the cost. Roughly, bringing one reputable foreign artiste to the festival costs a minimum of $6 000, excluding flights, accommodation, venue fees, stage and PA hire. Let those that really want to see foreign artistes at the festival try bringing one and see what the process demands and then they can make as much noise as they want.

Cancelling an edition of the festival will never be an option

One national weekly, which unfortunately has never written anything positive about the festival for years recently suggested the festival closes for renovation. For the festival team that is not an option as we are well aware of what happened to projects that closed for renovations. Most, if not all, never come back. The only project that came back after cancelling an edition is Hifa. Others closed for good. So for Intwasa survival is critical and the team appeals to those who truly love the festival to show that love by supporting the festival in these difficult times.