Artists in Bulawayo have been encouraged to find innovative ways to commercialise their work, promote and showcase the culture of Bulawayo and boost the city’s economy.
This was said by Bulawayo Mayor, David Coltart while officiating at the Bulawayo Day celebrations held on Saturday. The city was celebrating its 130th anniversary since it was declared a town.
The annual event, which comes with a week-long of culture and arts festivities, will run until June 5.
Cllr Coltart noted that Bulawayo Day is a special day that allows the city to celebrate its rich and unique culture.
“It is a celebration of our identity, who we are, where we are coming from and where we are heading to. This day gives us an opportunity for social and cultural expression, integration and cohesion through diversity of tribes, languages, values, customs and norms,” he said.
“This day and the arts festival are strategic platforms of cultural significance that showcase the city’s cultural heritage and creativity to the world.”
Cllr Coltart said if local art is well promoted, it could boost the economy through selling artefacts and tourism.
“Art should not just exist in a vacuum. It is not just for our pleasure. The richness of our art and culture should play a major role in the boosting of our economy. I have absolutely no doubt that if we promote our art and culture, its richness and its diversity, we will get greater numbers of tourists who come here,” he said.
“We will get more people who come and buy our artefacts that our great artists create. They will also get to see the greatness of our city, especially its great environment such as the Khami ruins and the great Matopos.”
Representing the minister of Provincial Affairs for Bulawayo Metropolitan, Ntandoyenkosi Thabane weighed in on the city’s potential to sell its art wide and far.
“To enhance the economic potential of the arts is the need to commercialise it and enhance its investment potential in the various sub-sectors. I am advised that the City of Bulawayo is already exploring this through the cultural value chains initiative which is trying to enhance the economic value of the various arts and culture sub-sectors,” she said.
“This effort has been done through the Bulawayo home industries which saw the revitalisation of the centre and also equipping of raw materials and training of the beneficiaries. I hope that this initiative will cascade to other sectors so that we see the contributions of the arts and culture in the City’s gross domestic product (GDP).”
Thabane said the growth of the arts can only be through its institutionalisation in both the local government and national government.
“The development of the arts, culture and heritage office in the City of Bulawayo is a step in the right direction complementing government efforts to nurture cultural and creative industries talent and innovations. The arts and culture are also key in the expression of national identity in positive light and contributing towards improved social cohesion,” she said.
