CHITUNGWIZA Town Council has committed to uplift female artists who have not been given adequate opportunities.
Council spokesperson Lovemore Meya made the pledge last week while addressing the Chitungwiza Arts Centre executive committee before a brief tour of female artists' gardens.
The committee comprised Farai Nyakanyanza (treasurer), Tendai Gwaravaza (chairperson), Lorraine Mamvura (women affairs and people living with disabilities), Tracy Chatsama and Racheal Ellon.
“Chitungwiza is traditionally crowned the home of arts as several first-generation creatives be it musicians, visual artists or theatre artists among other disciplines hail from the dormitory town. It is our wish that it is high time we lured tourists (and) other investors to Chitungwiza through arts and cultural products,” Meya said.
He said the local authority had launched a new website which sought to provide some community-related information to residents including promotion of arts and cultural activities incorporation regionally and internationally.
“The reason we are incorporating arts on our website is that we are telling a story of every good or beauty including investment opportunities available in Chitungwiza.
"Our main goal for now is to promote female artists who have for (a long time) struggled to grab a fair share from male dominance,” he noted.
Gwaravaza said the council’s website was a welcome development which would transform their arts hub.
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“The Chitungwiza Arts Centre, since its inception in the 90s, has provided shelter to over 300 artists while it has grown to include music, theatre, martial arts and weaving.
“It has been regrettable that several female artists, who were part of us, just disappeared into thin air. In the beginning we had close to 20 females, but the number has failed to rise over the years,” Gwaravaza said.
“To date we only have 12 regular members and the rest either work from home or have joined other trades. The website is a welcome development because the platform shall work as a motivator for the need for computer literacy for our female counterparts as well as linking us with mainstream economies.”
Female visual artists Mamvura, Chatsama, Ellon and Vimbai Mupariwa suggested that the website be a liberal platform for marketing artists without leaving anyone behind.
“I fully appreciate all the assistance we get from our male counterparts, especially when we go out of town to the mines where we get our raw stone. The work is hard, and it needs a lot of energy and co-operation,” said Chatsama.
“Empowerment for female visual artists should begin with provisions of tools and raw materials including start-up capital. Most females abandon the trade due to several such challenges and because of delayed returns,”
Mamvura shared the same sentiment with husband Elvis Mamvura noting that there was need to introduce formal training lessons to provide mentorship and teaching to visual artists.
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