Arts Underfunded, Poorly Marketed — Senator Coltart

The Standard
BY GEORGE MADEGA
15 March 2009

EDUCATION, Sport Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart says one of his priorities will be to revive the country’s flagging arts sector.

Coltart who appreciates contemporary art and enjoys listening to music said he wanted to “depoliticize” the arts sector and mobilise more funding institutions such as galleries whose standards have deteriorated over the years because of perennial under funding.

“There is enormous artistic talent in Zimbabwe which is undervalued because such institutions like the art galleries are under funded, rundown and need maintenance,” Coltart told Standardplus in a wide- ranging interview.

“My feeling is that we need to address these issues in order to get a good turnover of art.

But the artists have to be united if any rescue plan for the sector is to succeed.

“Artistes need to be organised and look more professional, I feel that this way they can get the true value for their art,” Coltart said.

“We have a diverse assortment of art in the country like the sculptures, the weavers, people who produce art of exceptional quality but they do not get the dues that they deserve.

“The price that the artist gets along the road is by far lower than that of the artist selling wares at the Victoria Falls Hotel.

“In general terms, we need to enable artistes to market themselves and return to the formal sector.
He said the country stands to benefit from the marketing of local artefacts abroad.

Coltart added: “We need to empower our artists by marketing our art internationally as well.

“Shona sculpture is internationally acclaimed with Zimbabwe as a brand and as such it is an icon.”
Zimbabwean artists also have a once in a lifetime opportunity to make money when neighbouring South Africa hosts the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

Thousands of tourists are expected to flock into the region during the world’s biggest football showcase and Zimbabwe is one of the African countries set to benefit from the influx because of its proximity.

Coltart believes that supporting the different forms of art in the country will create a shared national identity.

“In music I believe if we encourage the diversity from unique mbira to classical violin music we can create national pride.

“Most art groups now operate on skeleton basis and government should support them.

“There is also need to attract foreign artists to tour the country like they do in South Africa so that the young people can enjoy them” he said.

He also thinks that the musicians in exile must return home as this will help spread the talent in the country.

“The likes of Thomas Mapfumo should return and pass on their talents to others. Music Festivals would also be revived, Coltart promised.
“Government should help to revive to the music festivals” he said

“Zimbabwe is a multi-racial country and the music festivals should reflect this.

“Its unfortunate that our festivals, national days and events are linked to partisan political ideas, therefore we need to de-politicise them and recognise that there’ are Zimbabweans who are of Greek or Jewish origin, Shonas, Ndebeles, Vendas, Tongas and so on.

“The colourful fabric of our nation should not be narrowly defined, we have an interwoven culture” he said.
Coltart believes that freedom of expression and of association is crucial to identify, in order to develop the arts and culture in the country.