Include artists at forefront of global re-engagement: Nyanhi
ARTS WRITER
National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) Chief Executive Officer, Napoleon Nyanhi, has called for artists to play a central role in Zimbabwe’s global engagement and re-engagement efforts, citing the power of art to disarm, soften, and warm audiences before formal interactions take place.
Speaking at the official opening of Creative Economy Week (CEW) 2026 at the British Council in Harare on Tuesday, Nyanhi highlighted how artists have historically led delegations to ease tensions and build goodwill.
“Let me draw from the Bible for a moment,” Nyanhi said. “During the Exodus from the land of bondage to the promised land, musicians and tambourine players were put in front of the delegation. Why? Because art has the power to disarm. It exercises soft power and soft diplomacy, warming hearts before the people in suits and briefcases arrive. The same principle can help convince the international community to engage positively with Zimbabwe today.”
He emphasised that artists should not be sidelined in the country’s push to attract investment and strengthen international relations.
“Our artists need to be at the forefront. We cannot simply announce that Zimbabwe is open for business and wait for the mega deals to come,” Nyanhi said. “Once the world likes Zimbabweans as a people, it can relate to our culture, understand how we think, and engage with us more meaningfully. And that can only be done through music, film, dance, visual arts, crafts, and other creative expressions.”
Nyanhi’s remarks come as the British Council and the Embassy of Switzerland in Zimbabwe, through their ongoing partnership to support the creative industries, host the third edition of Creative Economy Week Zimbabwe 2026 from March 2 to 7. The event convenes creatives, policymakers, cultural institutions, industry leaders, and entrepreneurs under the theme: ‘Inclusive Growth Through Collaboration, Kuvaka Pamwe, Ukukhula okuhlanganisayo.’
“This theme resonates deeply with ubuntu, which emphasises collaboration. If you want to go fast, you go alone; if you want to go far, we go together. It aligns with President Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030, which aims for a middle-income society and ensures no one and no place is left behind,” he said.
Nyanhi stressed that the arts industry cannot grow in isolation. Collaboration must span geographic and sectoral divides, allowing a visual artist in Bari or a traditional storyteller in Umzingwane the same opportunities as a tech entrepreneur in Buhera or a filmmaker in Sakubva.
“The old model of the starving artist working in a silo is obsolete. Inclusion and growth are powered by collaboration. Artists are not just part of the vision—they must lead it,” he said.
The NACZ aims to cultivate a vibrant, professional, and sustainable cultural and creative industry. After years of highlighting the sector’s potential, the Council is now focused on actualisation.
CEW 2026 builds on previous editions, strengthening collaboration across Zimbabwe’s creative and cultural sectors while connecting with regional and global expertise. Over six days, participants will engage in masterclasses, workshops, roundtables, showcases, and networking sessions that combine creative development with business tools needed to grow sustainable enterprises.
“Creative Economy Week shifts the focus from celebrating talent to strengthening systems that enable creative practitioners to earn and scale,” said British Council Zimbabwe Country Director Lloyd Anderson. “Through our partnership with the Embassy of Switzerland, we’re backing practical pathways, skills, networks, and market connections to support sustainable growth in the creative industries.”
International and local creative partners from Nigeria, Rwanda, India, Pakistan, and the United Kingdom will share expertise across workshops, roundtables, and masterclasses. The programme also includes a flagship manufacturing immersion at David Whitehead Textiles in Kadoma, offering hands-on insight into industrial production standards, quality assurance, costing, and planning—equipping designers to scale commercially viable brands for local and international markets.
Official statistics indicate that 76% of Zimbabwe’s economy is informal, and the arts sector is no exception. Nyanhi said NACZ will help artists formalise to access loans, long-term contracts, and broader markets.
“The NACZ will guide artists through registration, relationship-building, and formalisation as businesses. Transitioning from the informal sector is crucial to unlocking the true potential of our creative and cultural industries,” he said.
