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Calls for: Researchers, Artists and Arts Journalists

Please see below two opportunities that are being offered by Nhimbe Trust.

Call for Researchers

Nhimbe Trust, in its role as the implementing organization for the Zimbabwe Creative Civil Society’s Plan of Action for arts and culture (NPAAC) and with support from Pro Helvetia, is calling for researchers to examine pieces of legislation and policies governing the arts and culture in Zimbabwe.

Background
The operating environment for arts and culture remains constrained by the inadequate funding and challenges and limitations brought about by some applications of the Censorship Act, the National Gallery Act, the National Arts Council Act and the Broadcasting Services Act. These Acts have not been reviewed and amended to accommodate the many changes that have taken place in the cultural sector across the world, the concerns and aspirations of those working in the arts and culture sector and those who wish to invest in it, as well as the demands and benefits of implementing the UNESCO Conventions and other international standard setting instruments that the country has ratified.

Further, in terms of governance, the arts and culture sector falls under several ministries that have no common platform for planning and regular consultation on several issues. These include the formulation, review and implementation of the National Cultural Policy, the development of strategies for the implementation of UNESCO Conventions in the field of culture, and protocols, agreements and charters of the African Union and the SADC. There is also no platform for collectively responding to urgent issues affecting the arts and culture sector, such as issues to do with the application of legislation on arts and culture and the necessity to come up with new legislation and the amendment of existing laws. The arts and culture sector therefore desires for the setting up of a ministry of arts and culture.
 
A. Research Areas:
The research will be on cultural sector governance and participation issues and instruments, their application and impacts to the arts and culture sector. A comprehensive outline of research assignment will be given to those who will be considered suitable to undertake this cultural research.

B.Duration
The consultant will be expected to spend 6 weeks reviewing the piece of policy/legislation and preparing a write up based on the review and one hour presentation at the advocacy training workshop.

C.Qualifications
The consultants for these research assignments should:
be recognized cultural policy experts preferably who hold a higher degree in an area related to culture,
have at least 5 years experience in culture related work with particular experience in cultural policy related work,
have previously undertaken similar research.

D.Management arrangements
The contract will be issued and managed by Nhimbe Trust.

E.Consultancy Fee/Payment Schedule
This will be discussed with successful applicants.

F.Expressions of Interest
Expressions of interest should contain the following information:
•Details of the consultant including curriculum vitae, referees, past experience in this area of work and demonstrated ability to meet deadlines
•A listing of previous similar assignments
•Availability
•Description of suggested methodology

Expressions of interest and requests for detailed terms of reference are to be send to:Joshua Nyapimbi: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Closing date for Expressions of Interest is 24 February 2012.



Call for Artists and Arts Journalists


Nhimbe Trust in its role as the implementing organisation for the Zimbabwe Creative Civil Society’s Plan of Action for arts and culture (NPAAC); and with support from Prohelvetia, will be running an Arts Advocacy Training Workshop from 24 - 28 April 2012.


Background
In terms of governance, the arts and culture sector falls under several ministries that have no common platform for planning and regular consultation on several issues. These include the formulation, review and implementation of the National Cultural Policy, the development of strategies for the implementation of UNESCO Conventions in the field of culture, and protocols, agreements and charters of the African Union and the SADC.


The arts advocacy programme is meant to stimulate a culture of rights based advocacy and lobbying among artists and arts journalists. It is hoped that the programme will also strengthen networking between artists and journalists. A group of 10 artists and 5 Arts Journalists from Zimbabwe will be trained by a Zimbabwean and South African trainer following the objectives below:

Objectives of the training

Artists
•To build capacity of artists and their associations as they lobby government and advocate for their rights as well as the improvement of their operating environment;
•To strengthen dialogue and interaction between artists, their associations and stakeholders operating in the arts and culture sector;
•To contribute to the advocacy around the revising of outdated pieces of legislation and policies governing arts and culture in the country;
•To encourage the use of information technology (IT) and social media for advocacy purposes.

Journalists
•To expose journalists to issues around creative industries, the creative economy, cultural industries and challenges affecting the arts and culture sector in order for them to cover the sector adequately;
•To strengthen the existing arts journalists network.

Candidates
•Applicants (Artists) should be committed to advocacy and lobbying in the arts and culture sector (members of associations and networks are encouraged to apply);
•A general understanding of the National Cultural Policy, UNESCO Conventions and other international standard setting instruments in the field of arts and culture;
•Journalists should be committed to objective reporting on arts and culture (Members of the Arts Journalist Network have an added advantage).

At the end of the advocacy training workshop arts journalists and artists will be required to:


•write articles and press releases about the training workshop attended
•Join Advocacy Working Groups (AWG); document and publicise outputs from the AWGs
•Take part in media advocacy campaigns on AWG themes

Interested candidates should send a motivation letter and short CV (1page) to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 24 February 2012