The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has clarified the budget for this year’s Bulawayo Arts Festival (BAF), denying earlier reports that it had been allocated US$300 000.
The council says the actual cost of the event will be US$30 000.
The City commemorates Bulawayo Day on 1 June and the Bulawayo Festival (BAF) week from 2 to 5 June annually since 2020 following the resolution of the Council on 2 October 2019.
The 1st of June was declared Bulawayo Day because it is the anniversary day of the declaration of Bulawayo as a town and sought to provide an opportunity to invite the people of Bulawayo in celebration of the distinct and proud heritage, rich diversity and artistic potential that the City is endowed with.
The purported astronomical budget sparked heavy criticism for the local authority beset with service delivery challenges.
“BAF is budgeted for in the City of Bulawayo 2024 Budget under the Festivals and Recreational Activities line item which caters for various activities which also include the Youth Festival, youth training programmes under recreational services, participation at exhibitions (for example participation and training of Drum majorettes for the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair among other aspects amounting to US$300,000 for all the programmes),” said BCC Corporate Communications Manager, Nesisa Mpofu, in a statement, Friday.
Mpofu said the 2024 programme will offer a range of exciting activities which include the Bulawayo Day celebrations on the 1st of June 2024 headlined by a Street Carnival, World Bicycle Day Commemorations – Asitshoveni, A Smart Mobility Initiative, and the KoNtuthu Legends Concert.
“Other festival activities include a Gospel Concert, various workshops such as the Dance workshops, arts economy workshop and the Inxwala Lecture series. School children are also invited to participate through the schools cultural showcase and Spelling Bee competitions organized by the Bulawayo Junior City Council. The festival will close with the Imbokodo Concert – an all-female artists’ concert on the 5th June 2024.”
