MARTIN MAWAYA
GWERU-The European Union (EU) has injected a grant of over 2 million Euros to support the arts sector in Zimbabwe.
The funding which was channeled through the Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust, will run for 36 months.
The grant will be distributed in two lots, where individual can apply for an amount of between US$1000 to US$10 000, while associations and organization can apply from US$10 000 to US$60 000.
Speaking in an interview with The Midweek Watch, Culture Fund of Zimbabwe director Farai Mpfunya (pictured) said the project dubbed CreativeAction2 is aimed at strengthening artists and practitioners associations and unions in Zimbabwe.
He said the CreativeAction2 initiative will support innovative and exciting proposals in the creative sector.
“ We are very excited because we have a new project called CreativeAction2. This particular project has been funded by the EU and will run for 36 months .
“We are aiming at filling the gaps of our capacity skills, engagement and collaboration within the Zimbabwe creative sector,” he said.
Mpfunya highlighted that the project fits in well in the National Arts council strategy and the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage’s strategy for culture and creative industry, as well as feeding in the National Development Strategy 1.
He added that the initiative will create vibrancy, innovation and creativity so that the creative industry contributes to livelihoods and the GDP of the country.
He said the “ project will have a special focus on marginalized communities and women in particular”.
Zimbabwe arts industry has been struggling as the support for the sector continue to dwindle each year and the situation was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
