As I continue to reflect on the Visual Arts Indaba held in November 2024, today I want to focus on the agencies mandated by the government to administer the visual arts in Bulawayo.
As an artist, independent curator and advocate for the growth of our city’s creative sector, I believe the visual arts in Bulawayo have reached a point where deeper engagement with the agencies especially the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) can help shape a stronger, more sustainable future for the sector.
In many countries, arts councils don’t just regulate the arts — they fund them. They invest in artists, build infrastructure, and grow creative economies. In Zimbabwe, the National Arts Council plays an important role in coordination and licensing, but direct funding for visual arts remains limited. This leaves our artists and institutions relying heavily on donors and external partners to keep creativity alive.
If we do not have these conversations about our institutions, the sector may never fully grow into an industry with a viable, sustainable arts scene. Bulawayo’s visual arts have the talent and ambition to shine globally — but we need stronger local investment, long-term strategies, and genuine collaboration between National, local authorities, independent spaces, and the private sector.
The NACZ has a national mandate to coordinate and promote the arts. This position gives it the potential to play a pivotal role in creating opportunities, building infrastructure, and facilitating platforms for artists to thrive. While much of its work focuses on regulation and coordination, there is scope for more targeted involvement in visual arts development — particularly here in Bulawayo, where our creative community has consistently shown talent, resilience, and innovation.
Another twist, is some degree of confusion about the distinct roles of NACZ and the National Gallery of Zimbabwe (NGZ). Both are national-level institutions established by an act of parliament, working in the arts space, yet their mandates, functions, and areas of focus are not always clearly communicated to practitioners. This lack of clarity can result in missed opportunities for collaboration, duplication of effort, or under-utilisation of available support from the government.
The question for us, as a sector, is: How do we effectively engage and work with agencies so that visual arts can grow into a viable cultural industry, let's start with the review of the NACZ and the NGZ Acts.
Some constructive starting points could include:
Dialogue Forums: Establishing regular conversations between visual artists, curators, NACZ, and NGZ to share priorities, clarify roles, and identify joint development strategies.
Collaborative Programs: Co-designing projects and exhibitions that highlight Bulawayo artists locally, nationally, and internationally.
Funding Conversations: Exploring ways NACZ can leverage partnerships, public-private initiatives, and policy advocacy to unlock more resources for visual arts.
Policy Input: Ensuring the voices of practicing artists are included in arts policy reviews and strategic planning, with clear differentiation of institutional mandates.
This is about building stronger bridges between the creative community and the institutions that exist to support it. If we open these channels and clarify roles, we can co-create a thriving arts ecosystem where Bulawayo’s visual artists are not only celebrated, but also supported with the tools, resources, and platforms they need to succeed.
Wena ubusithini.
Disclaimer: The views expressed here are my personal observations as an independent curator and do not represent the official position of any organisation or institution I am affiliated with.
Cliford Zulu
Independent Curator & Visual Arts Advocate
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