CreativeACTIONs 2 (2023–2025) is a continuation of CreativeACTIONs 1 (2020–2021). A trajectory is set to support capacity development, talent and creative sector innovations. These are some of the set modalities of empowering the creative sector ecosystem and foster shock-rebuilding post COVID 19. CreativeACTIONs 2 aims to (1) To strengthen individual practitioners and creative civil society organisations’ capacities in inter alia, digital skills, production, marketing, networking and arts education; (2) To support innovative artistic and cultural creations from artists and cultural practitioners, creative civil society organizations and private operators in the cultural and creative industries; (3) To empower the Creative sector to participate in policy dialogue and advocacy in order to contribute to an enabling operating environment for the Cultural and Creative Industries strengthen capacities for creative civil society organizations and arts and culture practitioners in Zimbabwe.
Key considerations will favour participation of women, youth and people living with disabilities.
Press Release
Harare, 09 September 2024
USD 280,494 Awarded to 20 New Projects as CreativeACTIONs 2 Continues To Make A Positive Impact In Zimbabwe's Arts And Culture Sector.
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CreativeACTIONs 2 Awards New Projects!
Harare, 09 September 2024 - The Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust and the European Union (EU) Delegation to Zimbabwe are proud to announce the awarding of grants totalling USD 280,494 to 20 innovative arts and culture projects across the country. These grants, ranging from USD 1,556 to USD 30,930, continue to empower creatives from diverse regions, including Bulawayo, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West, Midlands, Mashonaland East, Harare, Manicaland, Matabeleland South, and Masvingo. Recognising the project’s success thus far, H.E. the EU ambassador Jobst von Kirchmann said, "Zimbabwe’s creative sector is key to bringing people together and driving economic growth. With CreativeACTIONs 2, we are excited to see how artists and cultural practitioners are making a difference. These projects not only celebrate Zimbabwe’s rich cultural diversity but also empower individuals and communities to thrive in the global creative economy."
Among the latest recipients are projects dedicated to promoting Sign Language as an official language through innovative content creation, empowering women to enhance their livelihoods through beadwork, and supporting Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in advocacy, music training, and recording. The Culture Fund remains committed to fostering the growth of Zimbabwe’s creative economy by engaging emerging, mid-career, and established creatives and cultural operators. The funding is strategically directed towards organizations, institutions, events, and festivals that expand opportunities within the arts and culture sector.
Since the inception of CreativeACTIONs 2 in 2023, a total of 74 projects have been supported, with an investment of USD 1,140,270. This investment addresses critical capacity gaps, fosters innovation, supports advocacy, and facilitates the mobility of artists, cultural goods, and services, enabling them to access new markets and reach broader audiences.
The impact of these supported projects is already being felt across Zimbabwe. The Binga Craft Centre, for example, conducted skills training in quality control for craft products, successfully opening new export markets in Spain and Australia. CHIPAWO, an organization dedicated to children's arts and education, trained young people from three provinces in video recording and presenting skills, resulting in 13 episodes broadcast on Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation Television (ZBC TV). Zimbabwe Fashion Week, through a partnership with Chinhoyi University of Technology, became a member of the the United Nations Fashion and Lifestyle Network, mentoring 10 fashion design graduates through the Creative Accelerator Programme.
CreativeACTIONs 2 is also supporting education projects like the Centre for Talent Development (CTD), Rawstone Galleries, and TIME Entertainment Promotions. These organizations have trained 37 schools across Binga, Lupane, Hwange, Bulawayo, and Gwanda in performance-based literature, stone carving, drama, playwriting, poetry, visual arts, and music. Zimbabwe Deaf Media has produced African folktales in Sign Language, enriching the learning experience for hearing-impaired students. Matamba Film Labs has pioneered new innovations in virtual reality, collaborating with regional organizations like YC-Films in Mozambique to celebrate and promote African experiences through contemporary storytelling and gaming.
Furthermore, CreativeACTIONs 2 has facilitated international cultural exchanges of Zimbabwean creators and EU Member States such as Portugal, Germany, and Greece. Artists supported through mobility grants have participated in festival management training and showcased Zimbabwean fashion and fabrics to the diaspora market, bolstering Zimbabwe's representation on the global stage.
The Culture Fund and the EU recognize the vital role that the arts and culture sector plays in nation-building, advocacy, and policy development. Through CreativeACTIONs 2, they continue to strengthen creative civil society institutions and independent artists, enhancing artistic expressions and transforming livelihoods. This ongoing support enriches youth empowerment, addresses gender disparities, prioritizes the inclusion of people with disabilities, and facilitates the mobility of artists and cultural goods to access new markets and broader audiences.
Scroll down to explore previously supported CreativeACTIONs2 projects. For media enquiries or further information, please contact: E-mail: info@culturefund.co.zw | Phone: +263 242794617 / +263 242794211
Or visit X: @culturefundzim
CreativeACTIONs2 Awarded Grants | Lot 1 - Larger Grants
Stories from Zimbabwe in Sign Language 2.0
An upscale of stories from Zimbabwe in Sign Language initiative aims to spotlight constitutionalism and expand deaf culture recognition. The young demographics in the deaf community continues to experience huge shortages of Sign Language content - supportive reading and audio-visual aids to accommodate, reinforce learning and teaching of their language. The initiative celebrates deaf culture in Zimbabwe. It will contribute significantly towards creation and accumulation of resources which will contribute to the accumulation of deaf audio-visual resources. The creation of such a knowledge bank will not only facilitate equality and supportive learning but also raise awareness in the teaching of children with hearing impairments.
GRANT: USD 21,215.00
Nhaka yeVana
A publishing and distribution initiative which will bring a variety of children's stories to diversified audience across Zimbabwe especially youth. Nhaka yeVana will nurture early literacy development by providing cartooned works, free to access engaging stories in local languages - thereby equipping learners with essential reading and imagery interpretation skills. The sentimental literary works will ignite conversations on stories relating to local cultural connection. Content development will celebrate collaborative developmental efforts between authors, writers and professional linguists. The three publications will be distributed in local, national libraries and schools. These books can be adopted as scripts for animation television series.
GRANT: USD 18,947.00
Exploration of the Shangaan Culture
An introspection of The Shangaan (Xangana, Changana) culture - a minority ethnic group found in the South - Eastern Lowveld of Zimbabwe by the same Shangaan custodians. The action is set to produce a 13-episode televised production whose focus will touch on themes around local economy and livelihoods; Ngomeni/Hoko and Khomba; Shangaan in the modern world; dress and adornment and its relations to South African and Mozambiquan traditions among others. The initiative will foster social dialogue, understanding of minority cultures around the Xangana and non-Xangana communities. The Exploration of the Shangaan Culture will strengthen collaborative efforts with local rural developmental authorities in full production, marketing and distribution.
GRANT: USD 29,700.00
Ancient Ndebele folktales
A multi-faceted initiative whose focus is to execute capacity enhancement activities before coming up with a film product. The 2D animation will focus on Ancient Ndebele folktales driven by young creative minds. The Action secures different skillsets throughout its lifetime. Storyboarding is preceded by in-depth research approaches which include literature reviews and consultations with elders and Ndebele historians as ways of aligning the storyline to contextual relevance. Character development, voice coaching, sound score, effects and scripts will be outlined as part of developing the 10 episodes. A premier will be executed as part of initiating the marketing and distribution process of the final production.
GRANT: USD 18,620.00
Harmonizing Craftsmanship: AMIBE Project
The African Musical Instruments Builders Exchange (AMIBE) aims to address limited collaborations amongst musical instrument builders in the African region whose collective and innovative creations remain weak. The initiative facilitates hinderances in the sourcing and production of high-quality instruments which could sustain standard requirements for regional and international markets. The instrument builders continued to work informally in highly independent spots thereby limiting knowledge sharing; best practices exchange and opening up of new avenues for their growth. The AMIBE will address stagnant sound quality and inadequacy instruments from Zimbabwe in order to endorse new crafters onto the global marketplace.
GRANT: USD 23,320.00
Let’s Talk Arts
A televised 13-episode dialogue show which will engage with creatives, academia, duty bearers, leaders and officers from relevant government ministries and departments. The production will interrogate key policy matters relating to the development of the arts and culture sector in Zimbabwe. The intention aligns to promoting candid conversation on policy planning, implementation and evaluation for sharpening its practice. The dialogue will act further as an advocacy initiative which will critique on broader operating environment and needs of the arts and culture towards harnessing its full potential towards improving artists’ livelihoods, the operating environment and broader matters affecting lasting positive changes.
GRANT: USD 30,930.00
Decorative, Gallery and Therapeutic Beading
An initiative set to empower 21 marginalized youths with disabilities and their respective caregivers through intensive beading skills training in rural Beitbridge, Gwanda, and Umzingwane Districts. The broader plan includes stakeholder engagement, sourcing of raw materials to use during theoretical and practical training phases. Approaches on decorative beading and crafting design skills training aims to prepare the youth with disabilities to become innovative crafters relevant to the fashion industry, exterior and interior decorations. Decorative, gallery and therapeutic beading will address societal exclusion of the individuals with disabilities by working with them in strengthening their visual arts skills, quality assurance and marketing.
GRANT: USD 22,967.00
International Literature Festival 2024
LitFest aims to inspire, motivate and promote the consumption of literary works through its 11th edition of the annual International Literature Festival - 2024. The annual festival will immerse local writers, anthologists, poets and interested young creatives on critical analysis skills of broader possibilities existing in the literary shrines. The annual festival provides a swift float to African Languages and cultural existence. A further cross-pollination of ideas by working with academics and non-academics will be facilitated. LitFest exist as a bedrock to the national policies supporting arts and culture sector. As such, the annual festival will offer platforms for the interrogation and appreciation of some local and global cultural policies supporting literature and writers.
GRANT: USD 12,515.00
Mashoko Tapes
An initiative drawing energies from Zimbabwe’s diversified musical roots with contemporary expressions. The initiative reflects on creativity, innovation, and resilience. Six Zimbabwean artists from diversified cultural backgrounds will be brought together for a live performance of an eight-track album that will be showcased during the 2024 Shoko Festival Mash Up Night performance. The live performance will get a rare opportunity of using Shoko festival as an international gateway to the export markets. The curated musical content will be made available on all streaming platforms to sustain the artists’ media presence online. Mashoko Tapes will have a fair share in high quality live production, in front of local and international audiences.
GRANT: USD 12,515.00
Re-Imagining & Re-directing Intwasa 2024
Contributing towards the expansion of a robust and engaging southern region based national festival. Support to Intwasa will bring a more inclusive and relevant event whose programming balances, community involvement, business, development and sustainability. Re-imagining and re-directing Intwasa’s activities will focus on exposing youths, women, and marginalized communities to the deliberate use of their skills. Intwasa will conduct live performances, dialogue sessions that will explore professionalism, creative entrepreneurship, technology harmonization, unity and collaborative power between artists from different sub-categories.
GRANT: USD 15,275.00
Empowering the youths, communities through arts and cultural diversity
An empowerment drive of youth and communities in Mashonaland Central – Zimbabwe. Block building to 2.0 of Arts and Culture in Action, through artistic expressions and talent identification activities buttressing the support of Mashonaland Central Rural District Authorities. The initiative will expand on its initial reach to under-represented districts by getting into Muzarabani, Mt Darwin, Rushinga, Mazowe and Guruve and further scout and exhibit the talent. The initiative decentralises some geographical imbalances which ignore the vast quantitative deposits of untapped talent outside of big cities –. The talent identification will culminate into a provincial arts festival which will showcase youthful talent skills.
GRANT: USD 16,090.00
CreativeACTIONs2 Awarded Grants | Lot 2 - Smaller Grants
Crafting Trash to TraFashion
A green conscious effort that addresses the environmental and public health challenges posed by the surplus and discarded second- hand clothing in Zimbabwe particularly Harare and Chinhoyi. The initiative aims to apply creative design abilities in order to mitigate textile waste by collecting and repurposing discarded clothing into newly, sellable fashion products. Through a series of workshops, 20 women from Makonde rural community will be trained in upcycling and sustainable fashion practices. The project will raise awareness on environmental hazards associated with textile waste. The initiative will empower women with green skills, create a source of livelihoods for them, and contribute to environmental conservation by reducing pollution from second-hand cloth dumping.
GRANT: USD 8,554.00
Visual Arts: therapy and self-advocacy for students with hearing loss
Key institutions and learners with hearing impairments continue to experience huge bottlenecks around their involvement in developmental milestones. The initiative will fight exclusionary systems limiting the empowerment of hearing-impaired students, through visual and performing arts, equipping them with self-advocacy skills. It will hand over skills to learners as a way of opening markets for their creative efforts. The advocacy exposure will improve social and economic opportunities for posterity. 20 students will be imparted with artistic skills in dance, and music, while promoting their craftmanship. The work will culminate into an art exhibition showcase.
GRANT: USD 9,000.00
The Conservationist – Community Dialogue & Trailer
The Conservationist focuses on addressing the human-wildlife conflict exacerbated by climate change crisis. A full-length documentary will be recorded in the Zambezi Valley basin, specifically Nyami Nyami District - Kariba. The coexistence between humans and wildlife requires detailed interrogation amid climate justice narrative, conservation practices and respect for human life. The full-length production will raise awareness about such changes and amplify local conservation efforts and shortfalls. Key activities of the initiative will include hosting a community dialogue to gather input on the film's narrative before coming up with a trailer that will serve as a call-to-action and a tool for human-wildlife coexistence.
GRANT: USD 9,975.00
Miss Tanya Show
Miss Tanya Show aims to give power back to young audiences through engaging and empowering them. A vivacious young creative will engage marginalized youth and create a podcast series that addresses critical social and educational issues. Targeting young people, particularly school dropouts, the podcast will produce 13 episodes featuring discussions with youths and experts touching key themes that include drug abuse, premature marriages, and unemployment. The show will be initiated by recruiting young presenters and sourcing requisite materials. Miss Tanya will grant the much-needed dialogue opportunities, tools to foster positive change which result in promoting engaging conversations.
GRANT: USD 3,500.00
Nyamavhuvhu
An awareness-driven musical initiative aiming at empowering and engaging with emerging artists in remote areas of Mashonaland Central Province. Nyamavhuvhu seeks to contribute towards reduction of alcohol and substance abuse, early marriages, and poverty through the creation of an African fusion music album. The initiative will involve recording songs and producing music videos, as a way of expanding platforms for underground artists to collaborate with known creatives. Focus will be placed on career guidance, professional business practices, and digital market engagement, with the goal of furthering community support, reducing social scourges in youth.
GRANT: USD 6,500.00
Simunye Inclusive Arts Initiative
An initiative designed to empower 15 artists with disabilities and other non-disabled youths from across Zimbabwe through professional training in music business, audio/visual production. The initiative aims to produce a 12-track multi-cultural advocacy music and poetry album that challenges cultural and social constructs affecting persons with disabilities in marginalized communities. Capacity-building workshops, music composition, recording, and video production, culminating into a public launch will be the main activities. The initiative will ignite positive attitude, perceptions and behaviours which foster inclusion and equal participation of PwDs in the creative sector.
GRANT: USD 9,948.00
DIY Cultures, Democracy and Creative Participation in Portugal and Zimbabwe
A former lecturer from Midlands State University where she taught undergraduate students for over a decade in music business subjects - copyright law and ethics, music management, and community development. The independent researcher in the arts was invited to be a keynote guest lecture at the KISMIF Conference 2024 in Porto, Portugal. The lecture, titled "DIY Cultures, Democracy and Creative Participation in Portugal and Zimbabwe: Uniting Past Legacies with Present Possibilities," explores the intersections between Do It Yourself (DIY) music culture, democracy, and creative participation, comparing contexts in Zimbabwe and Portugal. The awarded funding assist is for mobility support for the Zimbabwean based researcher to foster knowledge expansion.
GRANT: USD 4,127.00
Machira - Afrika Festival Stuttgart Fashion Show and Exhibition
A fashion designer is awarded a mobility grant with the expectation to enhance cultural exchange, establish new markets during his visit to Germany. He will showcase mbatya’s Machira collection at the Afrika Festival in Stuttgart with a dedicated exhibition stand and an engaging fashion show accompanied by a talk. The festival attracts a diverse audience interested in African cultural products. This is a perfect platform to expose mbatya to potential customers and collaborators passionate about African fashion, textiles and souvenirs. The Machira collection goes beyond clothing; it's a conversation starter about Zimbabwean heritage. The festival facilitates the sharing of stories behind fashion patterns, fostering cultural understanding and appreciation.
GRANT: USD 5,240.00
Africa Monologue Challenge Championship
A Female actress is awarded support in order to participate in the Africa Monologue Challenge Championship in Kampala, Uganda. The competition aims to foster pan-African collaboration and cultural exchanges. The young beneficiary is one of the top 10 finalists out of 2000 entries who will engage in intensive coaching, cultural exchange, and various challenges. The event will culminate into a globally streamed final, where the winner earns a lead role in a pan-African film and a cash prize. The African regional exchange promotes positive narratives about Africa, its people contributing to a shared vision of progress, resilience, and cultural richness of the content.
GRANT: USD 1,556.00
COMBINED TOTAL: USD 280,494.00
Press Release
Harare, 31 December 2023
Empowering Zimbabwean Creativity: Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust and European Union Extend CreativeACTIONs2 Support to 8 new Groundbreaking Projects
The Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust and the EU Delegation to Zimbabwe proudly announce the expansion of their ongoing CreativeACTIONs2 project, providing a combined total of USD $70,624.00 in support to an additional eight innovative and transformative projects across Zimbabwe. This remarkable milestone highlights the EU's unwavering dedication to fostering artistic expression, strengthening civil society, championing gender equality, and nurturing the talents of Zimbabwean artists and cultural practitioners.
Building upon the success of the initial phase, where 47 projects received a collective USD 797,852.00 in funding during June and August 2023, this latest round of support reaffirms our commitment to advancing artistic and cultural expressions, fostering civil society, championing gender equality and women's empowerment, and facilitating essential training and skills development programs for arts and culture practitioners. The diverse range of projects, currently in various stages of implementation, showcases the program's dedication to driving positive change and fostering a vibrant cultural landscape across the nation.
The EU is committed to promoting cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue and recognizes the profound impact of art and culture in transcending boundaries, fostering mutual understanding, and promoting inclusive societies. By supporting these innovative projects, the EU is not only investing in Zimbabwe's cultural heritage but also empowering individuals and communities to express their unique identities and contribute to the nation's socio-economic progress.
CreativeACTIONs2 has already yielded inspiring success stories, with previous beneficiaries showcasing the transformative power of arts and culture. One project, a community-based theatre initiative, has empowered young people to address social issues and advocate for gender equality. Another project, a digital storytelling platform, has provided a voice to marginalized communities, highlighting their experiences and enhancing their visibility.
In anticipation of the upcoming funding cycle in 2024, the Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust and the EU Delegation invite aspiring artists, cultural organizations, and individuals to unleash their creative potential and apply for funding through the CreativeACTIONs2 program. Interested applicants can access and download application forms directly from the official Culture Fund website. This unique opportunity to contribute to Zimbabwe's cultural landscape and make a lasting impact on the nation's creative fabric is now within reach.
To explore the inspiring outcomes of previously supported CreativeACTIONs2 projects, click here.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Website: https://www.culturefund.org.zw/creative-actions / https://www.culturefund.org.zw/ Twitter: @culturefundzim.
Contact:
E-mail: info@culturefund.co.zw
Phone: +263 242794617 / +263 242794211
CreativeACTIONs2 Awarded Grants | 3rd Cycle 2023
Mazikhelela Craft Project
A women’s association composed of 10 members. It specializes in handmade products specifically - crafts and fine art material. Mazikhelela Craft has sustained their weaving skills for more than 20 years, passing it from one generation to the next. Based in Matabeleland South, an all women group will capacitate other women and youths by training them in product development. The initiative intends to increase the quantity and quality of African products in an endeavor to alleviate poverty, increased earnings potential. A livelihoods initiative meant to drive the local economy through craft work.
GRANT: US$6,500.00
Skill A Community 'Digital Haven Project'
Digital Haven Project is designed to educate content creators on digital security, skills horning in content creation coupled with an awareness on digital use threats and opportunities. Participants will be sensitized on Zimbabwe’s Data Protection Bill. The training on digital security training targets female creatives in Matabeleland Region – Plumtree and Gwanda. Approach will incorporate both theoretical and practical sessions to aid safe use of digital platforms, protection of digital content and risk assessment. The Digital Haven will provide the emerging content creators with rightful tools and recommendations for safety in the digital spaces.
GRANT: US$7,580.00
Beitbridge Film Expo
A local media house will host a ground breaking and first ever film expo in Beitbridge. It challenges normative methods of content distribution in big cities by decentralizing and providing localized platforms which facilitates the scouting of raw talent and identify new generation of film personnel in small cities. The expo will share relevant skills with creatives, showcase films through screenings. Experts in film will be invited to share skills, their experiences and knowledge with the participants. Various themes in film will be explored.
GRANT: US$8,778.00
Promoting disability inclusion in cultural preservation through film making project
A short film will be produced by people with disabilities undertaking all main roles and activities. Prior to pre-production, auditions will be held. The identification of talent aims to select deserving candidates and motivate people with disabilities to be able to expand their opportunities in the creative sector by joining and making films which speak into their predicaments and surrounding environments. The film will spread socially inclusive visual messaging. This intervention will encourage persons with disabilities to make a living through creating films, which builds a balanced society.
GRANT: US$9,102.00
Creating and Increasing Showcase Platforms for Young People in Urban and Rural Areas of Manicaland Province
Collective engagement of Creatives, National Association of Primary Heads (NAPH), National Association of Secondary Heads and National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ). The establishment is set to produce a handbook which will govern procedures of Arts Education initiatives by both artists and school learners in support of The Education 5.0. The bridge initiative strengthens coherence and synergies building on relevant artistic approaches to learning by accommodating non-academic mentors of art. The handbook will be piloted within the 7 districts of Manicaland in support of inclusive talent identification and creative showcasing.
GRANT: US$9,966.00
Canvas of my Identity
Canvas of my Identity complements Zimbabwe’s transitional justice architecture through the creation of 20 artistic mixed media paintings that stimulate intergenerational dialogue on national healing, peace building and social cohesion. The intervention engages with 10 visual artists aged between 18-35 from the southern region of Zimbabwe to illuminate skills of transferring dialogue into futuristic conversations. Artists because of their agile privileged balance they are able to converge issues which may be difficult to convey through other means and visual aesthetics. Nation building and fighting a5n inheritance of legacies of conflict, is the centre.
GRANT: US$9,998.00
ME!FEST
Mbare Festival returns in 2024. It carries the evocative memories of COVID-19 and associated lost opportunities it caused. The festival aims to re-sharpen the youths from the Mbare community, a hybrid centre of talent, the bold and expressive creatives. ME!FEST is dedicated towards attempting to redefine new narratives in the arts and culture sector, utilizing spaces of proximity such as Mai Musodzi Hall. The platform will create a level playing ground which enhances the exchange of skill and facilitate healthy and drug free conversations to proceed. Children and young people will be recognised, valued and understood in an environment which promote diversity and power dialogue.
GRANT: US$10,000.00
COMBINED TOTAL: US$61,924.00
Press Release
Harare, 17 August 2023
Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust and EU Delegation extend support to 5 new projects in Zimbabwe under CreativeACTIONs2 project
The Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust and the EU Delegation to Zimbabwe are proud to announce the award of a combined total of USD $49,264.00 to an additional 5 projects in Zimbabwe, as part of the ongoing CreativeACTIONs2 project. This announcement comes at a time when 42 other projects, awarded USD 748,588.00 in June 2023, are in the early stages of implementing their activities.
The recent allocation of funds has been particularly directed to addressing the needs of vulnerable communities. Individuals from the People with Disabilities (PWD) communities, marginalised and emerging creatives, and women from rural communities have been prioritised, based on demonstrated capacities to improve livelihoods.
Through the Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust, the EU has committed EUR 2,060,500 over 36 months to the CreativeACTIONs2 project. The project was launched in January 2023 with a focus on nurturing and empowering Zimbabwean artists and cultural practitioners across a spectrum of disciplines, encompassing music, dance, theatre, literary arts, and fashion.
CreativeACTIONs2 aims at complimenting national development priorities by funding innovative artistic and cultural expressions, empowering civil society, promoting gender equality and women's empowerment, and providing training and skills development programs for arts and culture practitioners.
As part of this ongoing endeavor, the Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust and the EU Delegation have earmarked the next cycle of small grants funding, expected to take place between October and November 2023. Interested applicants are invited to access and download application forms directly from the Culture Fund. Previously supported CreativeACTIONs2 projects can be accessed below.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Website: https://www.culturefund.org.zw/creative-actions / https://www.culturefund.org.zw/ Twitter: @culturefundzim.
Contact:
E-mail: info@culturefund.co.zw
Phone: +263 242794617 / +263 242794211
CreativeACTIONs2 Awarded Grants | 2nd Cycle 2023
Intercultural Dialogues: Bringing Popular Folklores to Life in Zimbabwean Sign Language
Zimbabwe Deaf Media Trust (ZDMT) focuses on Sign language teaching, deaf culture promotion, video production and content generation for broader Sign language dissemination aiming to distribute widely on television and online channels in social inclusion recognition of the Persons with Disabilities (PwD). In promoting the recently launched Sign Language Syllabus, ZDMT plans to conduct intercultural dialogues translated from popular folktales into Sign Language and compile an anthology of Sign Language poems before staging its Deaf Poetry Slam.
GRANT: US$10,000.00
Supporting young female cinematographers and editors in the Zimbabwe film sector
Project from a young female cinematographer building her career in film production and training. The project challenges gender inequalities and socially created skills gap that limit opportunities for young female filmmakers from Zimbabwe’s small towns and communities. The project aims to create safe spaces for young female team building and training sessions focusing on gender sensitive approaches, cinematography, film editing, sound editing and colour correction.
GRANT: US$9,515.00
The Reading Time Series
A published novelist and writer of books currently selling on Amazon - Calah Crown, including children’s books. She intends to publish 10 illustrated children’s books and carry out reading sessions with the aim of promoting reading culture among underprivileged children. The books, focusing on themes such as abuse, peer pressure, chastity and child rights, will be used during reading sessions in selected schools.
GRANT: US$10,000.00
Enhancing Social Inclusion of Young People with Disability in Mutare District through Digital Audio-Visual Media
Persons with Disabilities (PwD) will be engaged to develop and put into practice, their creative, artistic and intellectual potential. Pikicha Afrika promotes diversified ideas, equity, inclusive realities. It aims to foster an environment where creatives within PwD flourish. 8 creatives based in Mutare will be trained in presenting, content creation, citizen journalism, networking and advocacy through digital audio-visual media technologies. 64 sharable short videos/podcasts will be produced.
GRANT: US$9,949.00
Basket Weaving Capacity Building
An established and membership-based organization for women in based in Lupane specializing in traditional folk- art and craft; aims to boost production of basketry for export to their markets in countries such as Germany, Denmark, South Africa, Zambia, Malawi, Spain, 3 states in the USA, United Kingdom. The project will increase the number of basket weavers, train them in new product designs, quality control and strengthen collaborative capacities.
GRANT: US$9,800.00
COMBINED TOTAL: US$49,264.00
Press Release
Harare, 9 June 2023
CULTURE FOR EVERYONE: EUROPEAN UNION AND CULTURE FUND EMPOWER ZIMBABWEAN ARTISTS WITH GRANT AWARDS
Harare, 9th June 2023 - The European Union, in collaboration with the Culture Fund is pleased to announce the award of grants to 42 exceptional projects by Zimbabwean artists as part of the first round of the Creative Actions II project. These grants amount to a total funding of USD 748,588. H.E. the EU Ambassador Jobst von Kirchmann expressed his excitement about awarding these grants, stating, "As the European Union, we reaffirm our commitment to fostering Zimbabwean creativity. The projects will not only entertain but create jobs, raise awareness, promote tolerance and preserve Zimbabwean art and culture." “We are delighted to share that the project received a remarkable response during the first Grant cycle, with 248 highly competitive proposals submitted” added Mr Mpfunya Director of Culture Fund.
These 42 projects covering all ten provinces in Zimbabwe will promote culture as a goal in itself and as a powerful vector for social and economic development. Some of the activities to be implemented include the creation of a diverse range of artistic and cultural expressions by artists in Bulawayo, Harare, Masvingo, Bindura, Chinhoyi and other areas, encompassing filmmaking, music, theatre, crafts, fashion, sculpturing, comedy and dance. Some projects will support the holding of festivals, fairs, exhibitions and awards ceremonies in Harare, Bulawayo, Masvingo, Victoria Falls, Matobo, Murehwa and other areas. Projects will also empower creatives (especially women and youth) from Hwange, Binga, Tsholotsho, Lupane, Masvingo, Murehwa, Harare, Bulawayo and other areas on digital technologies, intellectual property rights, accessing new markets and professionalizing their work. Preservation and promotion of minority cultures of communities such as the San and Ndau as well as promoting accessibility to arts and cultural creations by people with disabilities will also be the focus of some of the awarded projects.
Whilst we celebrate that the awarded projects cover all provinces, the large share 42% is from 2 provinces only, Harare and Bulawayo. The projects will also support women, youth and people with disabilities however only 31% are led by women and 34% are led by youth. To address these imbalances, the EU and the Culture Fund strongly encourage creatives from provinces with fewer grant awards, as well as women, youth and People with disabilities, to apply for the ongoing Small Grants scheme. Furthermore, they are urged to look out for the upcoming 2nd Call for Applications for the Large Grants scheme, set to be announced before the end of the year.
Background
The EU has committed EUR 2,060,500 over 36 months through the Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust under the Creative Actions II project which began in January 2023. This substantial investment benefits artists and cultural practitioners from various disciplines, including music, dance, theatre, literary arts, and fashion.
The Creative Actions II project aligns fully with the Government of Zimbabwe's National Development Strategy 1 (NDS-1) and contributes to its implementation by funding innovative artistic and cultural expressions, empowering civil society, promoting gender equality and women's empowerment, and providing training and skills development programs for arts and culture practitioners.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Website: https://www.culturefund.org.zw/creative-actions / https://www.culturefund.org.zw/ Twitter: @culturefundzim.
Contact:
E-mail: info@culturefund.co.zw
Phone: +263 242794617 / +263 242794211
LOT 1 | Larger Grants | Project Summaries
Advancing Creative Capabilities, Entrepreneurship and Leadership
(ACCEL ZW)
ACCEL ZW aims to strengthen capacities of young groups and creative practitioners from marginalized rural and urban communities. Its responsive programmes aim at reinvigorating the weakened incomes and audiences disrupted by COVID-19. ACCEL ZW will leverage on talent abundance, digital platforms expansion to render training sessions coercing accessibility to new markets, skills acquisition and increased incomes for young artists.
GRANT: USD41,984.00
Zimbabwe Fashion Week (ZFW) 2023
ZFW seeks to provide education and training opportunities to emerging young designers and foster mentorship and networking opportunities. It plans to partner with Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT) – design department in quest for exposing the talented and creative young designers to fashion industry trends and technologies. Mentees will be certified during the Zimbabwe Fashion Week (2023) showcase.
GRANT: USD25,000.00
Vana Vanotamba Television Programme
The project aims to produce one season - 13-episode televised show with children and young people. These will be drawn from 3 provinces housing key institutions for children with disabilities. It will further scout, identify and build capacities of children with various forms of impairments. The initiative will expose them capitalising on their strengths in artistic expressions through rendering creative skills in preparation for career-path development, education before their capture on camera.
GRANT: USD30,000.00
Women At Crossroads: Next Chapter
The initiative seeks to host a film festival which promotes gender sensitivity and preferential tolerance around women’s matter. It aims to enhance production standards through workshops, networking and film(s) showcasing. The festival will foster engagement and dialogue with the audience by providing a safe space for films produced by women to be showcased thereby depicting Afrocentric tales and experiences of women by women.
GRANT: USD25,000.00
Intellectual Property Rights in The Cultural and Creative Industries
The project aims at strengthening the capacities of cultural and creative industry (CCIs) practitioners through improving the understanding of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). It will raise awareness on Intellectual Property Rights in the cultural and creative industries and work with the local creative enterprises to document their experiences in the fast- paced changing digital terrain.
GRANT: USD16,338.00
National Arts Merit Awards – (NAMA)
NAMA seeks to explore ways that provides opportunities of publicity and marketing of creatives locally and internationally. It will award talent as a modality of celebrating and recognising creative consciousness and excellence. The national event will be done to increase creative industry traction and growth. NAMA is a public engagement event that will promote interaction of artists, creative sector practitioners and policy makers. It expects to facilitate a better appreciation of Zimbabwe’s artistic showcase and diversity.will promote interaction of artists, creative sector practitioners and policy makers. It expects to facilitate a better appreciation of Zimbabwe’s artistic showcase and diversity.
GRANT: USD17,300.00
Phenomenal Festival of Lights
The project aims to hold an inaugural Zimbabwe’s first 3-day showcase platform for artists and service providers working with electricity and light to display creativity, imagination, visual designs and talents. It seeks to challenge and break gender related biases, barriers and stereotypes through the coordination of a female founder leading the processes in the male dominated area. The festival will feature various forms of artistic expression - theatre, dance, poetry, and music.
GRANT: USD24,650.00
The Shoko Pipeline
It seeks to host a 2023 edition of urban culture festival. The event will orient young local artists - song writers, performing artists, dancers, instrumentalists, and producers in physical and soft skills pertinent to creative expansion. The aim is on directing trainees to pursue sustainable and profitable career path in the creative space. The oriented trainees are expected to perform during Shoko pipeline’s Mash Up Night and tap into new networks from within Zimbabwe and the region in promoting youth popular culture.
GRANT: USD25,000.00
Celebrating Deaf Culture: A Theatrical Journey of Inclusion and Empowerment
The project aims to raise the awareness of deaf culture. It will drive its promotion, acceptance and tolerance starting with the local deaf community in Bulawayo. The promotion will be executed through theatre performances, workshops, community outreaches, networking and collaboration using sign language interpreters to inhibit work in-accessibility. The expectation is around enhancing opportunities and increased employment opportunities for those with hearing impairments.
GRANT: USD31,525.00
Amplifying Deaf Performances Through Trained Interpreters
The project seeks to train more interpreters to support the deaf group's theatre and drama performances. It aims to supporting interpreter training and rehearsal function to foster continuity in the amplification of deaf creative performances and promotion of accessibility in the arts. The expectations of the work go beyond recruitment, interpreting, training into testing and certification in redressing shortage of trained sign language interpreters.
GRANT: USD30,000.00
Literature Performance Based Workshops
Literature performance-based workshops aims to support the visual and performing arts syllabus by engaging schools in 3 Southern Region Provinces – Bulawayo, Mat-North and Mat-South. It will use theatre as a tool to integrate arts education into the main school’s curriculum through researching on African Languages to inform performance-based trainings. Capacity building will interact with teachers and learners to appreciate performing arts and their different roles in community followed by in-depth discussions.
GRANT: USD23,700.00
Bulawayo Arts Awards Elevation
Arts Awards seek to cross-pollinate skills and ideas in events architecture between those from other cities and Bulawayo. The event will hold skills exchanges with technicians and seasoned choreographers prior to event kickout. Beyond skills training, an awards ceremony - Bulawayo Arts Awards will be held in order to compliment efforts that are made nationally in recognition and honour of artistic excellence from the country’s southern region.
GRANT: USD25,000.00
Vic Falls Multi-Cultural Remote Arts Incubation Centre
The project aims to promote next generation of cultural and creative entrepreneurs in the stone/visual arts sub-sector. It will establish a multi-cultural remote arts incubation program to service three districts - Hwange, Binga and Lupane within the Matabeleland North considering its proximity to Victoria Falls, a tourist zone that presents vast market existence opportunities for the sector. The project expects to improve product quality, marketing, networking and increased incomes for the rural youth.
GRANT: USD14,285.00
San Community Organized Rebirth Events
San Community aims to resuscitate and bring recognition of the San/Tjwao community creative vibrance, languages and culture. The project will foster open space and platform initiatives for the Tjwao people to unleash potentials and cultural abilities, so they are equally recognized of their existence even though they are regarded minorities from Tsholotsho. The project will use various participatory initiatives such as traditional games, boot-camps, fashion shows in order to create self-discoveries.
GRANT: USD21,840.00
Binga Craft Centre (BCC) Revamp Programme
BCC seeks to render training in baskets product quality control to crafters in Binga. It will facilitate and support quality control workshops for 400 weavers from the surrounding wards whose basketry quality is still having compromised appeal. The project expects to increase supply of high-quality baskets which competes at world markets with a huge potential to empower female crafters to strengthen their household livelihoods incomes and fight feminisation of poverty.
GRANT: USD20,890.00
Transformative Capacity Building of Matabeleland North Creatives
An arts festival that aims to provide a creative and capacity building platform for practitioners from Mat-North’s six districts - Hwange, Binga, Tsholotsho, Lupane, Mguza and Nkayi. It will clear the buffering of COVID-19 recovery pathways by offering opportunities to young creatives and women in rebuilding the creative spaces and expression which are innovations and inclusive. The festival will bring marginalised cultural groups together for musical, fashion and theatrical showcasing.
GRANT: USD14,250.00
Art For Empowerment
Seeks to groom and showcase talents of youth from under-privileged communities. Art for Empowerment aims to address challenges confronting youth in rural and urban communities such as limited access to professional skills mentorship and high unemployment levels. It will establish supportive structures for youths to acquire new skills towards creative expression in performing arts focusing on dance techniques, voice projection, and stage presence. Critical issues around climate change and gender equality will be raised.
GRANT: USD13,500.00
Munwahuku Sculpture and Outreach Research Project
It seeks to awaken art consciousness in the rural Murehwa community by promoting youth and women’s participation in sculpture theory and practice as key art disciplines. The outreach research initiative will be supported by an established studio and workshop school where mentorship and research-based programmes will be carried out. The expectations include enhancing local economy through producing competitive artistic works for empowering and elevating a local ecosystem of creatives.
GRANT: USD14,900.00
Elevate 1
Elevate 1 seeks to promote gifted and upcoming Murewa based artists. It will establish a music recording studio in preparing for engaging and exposing young creatives pursuing studio and video sessions. Identification, recruitment, training and equipping them with the necessary tools marks part of Elevate 1. The expectation is to close knowledge gaps on intellectual property while promoting commercialization of artistic content. 20 videos and 50 songs are expected to be created and aired during the course of project lifetime.
GRANT: USD22,325.00
Learners Mentorship & Training
Project seeks to identify, nurture and promote creative talent at grass-roots level through mentorship and skills transfer. It will work closely with learners from 14 secondary schools in 7 districts of Matabeleland South province. It expects to guide learners towards alternative career choices in the cultural and creative industries as significant trigger towards high levels creativity from young minds.
GRANT: USD19,791.00
Visual Expressions of Matobo Youth Voices
Seeks to empower young creatives in Matobo with knowledge and skills in research, artistic citizen reporting and advocacy. It will establish Matobo youths’ peace advocates network and conduct skills development trainings, conducting interactive art and dialogues sessions in close collaboration with Centre for Information and Technology (CITE). Project expects to use visual art to contribute to accountability, transparency and inspire youths’ participation in decision-making processes.
GRANT: USD29,015.00
Manicaland Attached Instruments and Dance Exploration
It aims to document seven cultural dances, instrumentation and sounds from Manicaland. It seeks to bridge the knowledge gap between researchers and the custodians of culture as visual communication and information will be collated, into one consumable format easily accessible. It expects to produce an archive of digitised content that will benefit educators, learners and other samples and loops for music and film producers.
GRANT: USD33,000.00
Arts And Culture in Action
Project aims to discover and expose hidden talent found in more than four Mashonaland Central districts – Muzarabani, Mt Darwin, Shamva, Rushinga and Mbire. It seeks to give a chance for sustainable and professional development of young artists through talent search, show contests and training workshops. A festival will be held with the expectation of discovering and exposing new talent, improving competences in digital skills and marketing them as efforts to curb other social scares such as drug abuse.
GRANT: USD25,000.00
Spotlighting And Formalization of Rural Creatives Towards a Sustainable Arts Industry in Shamva
An incubation space for rural talent identification, nurturing and mentorship of young artists in Shamva. It seeks to spotlight the underrepresented rural artists through, hands on training, mentorship, formalizing their operating spaces. It will expose and enhance capacities of more than 200 artists and practitioners in digital marketing skills, production, networking and improving creative products quality. It expects to increase formal recognition and improvement of livelihoods for rural artists.
GRANT: USD33,038.00
Rethinking Arts in Pandemics (Drug and Substance Abuse)
Aims to further strengthen the capacity of 50 Masvingo based artists in digital skills, production, marketing and networking. It will hold Masvingo Youth Arts (MAYA) Festival which is a platform for artists to showcase their work and expand on networks to influence collaborative opportunities with other established creatives. It expects to increase capacities, create safe spaces for artists and more platforms for artistic expressions.
GRANT: USD41,000.00
LOT 2 | Smaller Grants | Project Summaries
Matamba Immersive New Media Content Development and Showcase
A newly established digital based institute, which focuses on training and empowering a new generation of women storytellers. It borrows from the Afrocentric orature in the illumination of African perspectives through incubation and co-creation of content with other Virtual Reality (VR) / Augmented Reality (AR) experts. It seeks to engage young women creative technologists in building a community revolving around immersive
technology with cynosure of distributing online and influencing the gaming culture.
GRANT: USD9,570.00
Participate In the MYSTERY 45_Atelier Elefsina
A mid-career professional selected to travel to South East Europe for arts management and event coordination conference. He prepares his international travel to participate in the MYSTERY 45_Atelier Elefsina - Greece, the 21st edition of the Atelier for Young Festival Managers to be held from 21 - 28 June 2023. The mobility support aims to facilitate his participation. An intensive training support programme will culminate into shared back sessions with other emerging festival managers in Zimbabwe after his return.
GRANT: USD5,467.00
Constitution Culture Musical
Seeks to pilot capacitation of young artists in contributing towards Zimbabwe’s constitution. The aim is to awaken creatives of their role in constitutionalism that requires attention through promotion of public awareness, inclusion and promotion of culture. The project seeks to conduct awareness raising of sections 7 and 16 of the Zimbabwean constitution; competitions, music production and awards ceremony will make part of this activities. Young and emerging creatives are targeted.
GRANT: USD10,000.00
The Hudson Road Trip
A seasoned jazz musician will embark on a trip to look for the unrecognised and talented jazz artists residing in the rural parts - Lupane, Tsholotsho, Hwange, Gwanda, Ntabazinduna, Plumtree, Kezi, Nkayi, Matobo and Victoria Falls. With a mobile recording studio, the aim is to spend time jamming and creating jazz songs. The inter-generational skills transfer is expected to happen with only ten marginalised artists featuring in a ten-track album - The Hudson Road Trip; a Video Documentary and a Photo Essay.
GRANT: USD10,000.00
Kwantuthu Comedy Festival
An engaging, informative and entertaining comedy festival which will work towards creating new platforms for talent identification and showcasing. It will target young and upcoming artists in need of a space to explore their artistic capabilities. The festival is set to bring international attention to local comedians thus making it attractive. Support will be done through performances and content creation, in order to grow the stand-up comedy sector.
GRANT: USD5,415.00
Bulawayo Intellectual Property (IP) School Clubs
A school based Intellectual Property Rights club being run by learners. It seeks to establish clubs in schools to curb a creative scourge of Intellectual Property Rights violations as photocopying, plagiarism and production of counterfeits. The work includes introducing the project to the provincial education leadership; identification of schools from each district to join the clubs; selection of 30 participants expected to benefit from the planned initiative as well as conducting IP schools’ exhibition/competition.
GRANT: USD9,240.00
Bulawayo Art Fair – Outreach – Symposium
A growing institution will continue to build new audiences and prioritise professionalisation of contemporary art productions and curatorial practices. It seeks to expand on opportunities and exhibition spaces by supporting visual identities and signatures of young creatives. The project expects to provide alternative spaces that incubates fairs and expose bodies of art to find their way into secondary market dealers, artists, collectives, associations and audiences within and beyond Zimbabwe’s borders.
GRANT: USD10,000.00
Danica Studios
An upscaled musical production hub which started operating as a backyard studio in the Vic-Falls town and uplifted a number of artists from Matabeleland North. It seeks to establish a fully equiped recording studio by procuring appropriate equipment. It will help emerging talent development to provide a space easily accessible to local creatives. The studio expects to become a centre of musical influence to identify talent, record and promote the music value chain.
GRANT: USD9,941.00
The Marimba Songs Transcription and Distribution Initiative
The preservation and promotion of Zimbabwean traditional music through the transcription and distribution of marimba instrumentalised songs. It will transcribe, document and create an online database of transcribed marimba songs formatted for easy accessibility by learners, musicians, researchers etc. Trainings will to be organised in different regions of Zimbabwe to teach the transcription of traditional marimba songs processes hinting on distribution.
GRANT: USD7,000.00
@Mukoma Nthume Aka Mundau
The project seeks to build the capacity of an emerging and unpublished vernacular author. It aims to promote restoration of pride in the Ndau language by supporting written work get to printers. It will result in the publication of several materials that exist in the Ndau language. The expectation is to see more literary works being developed to celebrate Ndau language recognition as one of Zimbabwe’s sixteen official languages embedded in the Zimbabwean Constitution.
GRANT: USD3,000.00
Granite Sculpturing
A rural based visual artist working with simple-tools migrates from use of soft stones - soap stone, serpentine stone and other common materials to some hard granite raw stones due to their weakened strengths. He aims to improve on the quality of sculptures to increase high end product output. Project seeks to acquire power tools - angle grinders, drills and an air compressor as a modality of improving and value adding artifacts appearances, outlook and product durability that resists all weather conditions.
GRANT: USD6,829.00
Culture Meets ICT
40 artists from Makonde rural inclusive of those living with disabilities will be identified and trained to improve household incomes. They will be capacitated and equipped with networking, marketing, and digital skills to grow their creative enterprises. Project seeks to strengthen artists in business ethics, communication and technology use.
GRANT: USD7,655.00
One Man Exhibition Empowerment Proposal (OMEEP)
The applicant needs to acquire adequate resources for painting artworks. An art production retreat will be used to create enough paintings for a solo exhibition. The body of artworks produced during the retreat will be exhibited at established art galleries.
GRANT: USD6,873.00
Engaging Men and Boys in Promoting and Preserving Cultural Entrepreneurship
A three phased project aiming to – Introducing entrepreneurship, cultural preservation, and management skills, to youthful cultural practitioners. It seeks to assist the engagement in artistic production retreat as ways aiming to produce enough material to be showcased during a solo exhibition. The expectation is on creating employment and raising awareness of cultural diversity and inclusion.
GRANT: USD3,307.00
Grooming and educating young marginalised rural talents
An instrumentation establishment process which will set-up a rehearsals space to be accessed by young talents. It seeks to offer opportunities for budding musicians to learn musical instruments playing and conducting primary sound engineering orientation. It will be a benefit for the youths. Grooming and educating young marginalised rural talents and improving village life will be coupled with performance demonstrations by seasoned artists. Project expects to develop new talent and empower the rural creatives.
GRANT: USD10,000.00
Ziya And Community Development Plan
Ziya works towards promoting tolerance on socio-economic and cultural practices at community level. It seeks to engage in provocative diverse themes which identifies with communities’ conflicts. It seeks to further engage with all community stakeholders in creative work development and peace building. Ziya expects to conduct capacity building trainings community dialogues targeting 180 participants in Masvingo district. Video skits will be produced to touch on pertinent intolerance which violates communities’ peace.
GRANT: USD9,960.00
Roots Arts Academy
Decentralised approaches to skills enhancement. The project aims to introduce cutting edge horning processes limiting the growth of opportunities for rural based creatives. It seeks to capacitate aspiring and upcoming young creatives based in Mutoko. Roots Academy will engage aspiring actors, directors, scriptwriters, producers and arts managers and mould them in preparation for future opportunities. It expects to fully function as a self-sustaining institute that will export talent outside Zimbabwe.
GRANT: USD6,000.00
Reflections of CreativeACTIONS 2020–2021
CreativeACTIONs 1 (2020-2021) sought to boost the momentum of creative movements, strengthen capacities for more sustainable creative ecosystems that can contribute to reaching Zimbabwe’s Sustainable Development Goals and targets. We promoted and showcased shared values of action partners. Creative movements supported to promote values such as respect for cultural diversity and gender equality, freedom of expression, access to information and Culture and fundamental human rights; contributed to social cohesion, helped reduce inequalities and assist in improving viability of Zimbabwe's creative sector and its creative industries. While substantial creative capacities exist in Zimbabwe - reflecting the transformative power of Culture and the Arts; their manifestations vary in strength and relevance within increasingly digitalized global cultures. Creative sector innovations are powerful vectors for positive social values and behaviors. CreativeACTIONs 1 strengthened identified creative and innovative capacities within targeted groups; their diversity of expression, while boosting capacities to improve livelihoods, contributed to more cohesive communities. Here are some of those successes;
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improved employability and economic opportunities. For example, it opened access to new and alternative markets for the creative sector in Harare such as the Maasrdorp, Sam Levy as well as international markets in Tanzania for graduates of the Forbes Mushipe mentorship project.
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Craft projects (Chilelema in Binga & Hlengwe in Chiredzi) supported increased sales by more than 15% and enhanced income opportunities for 121 women creatives. This raised agency for women decision making within communities and incorporation of creative sector initiatives in local political economy landscape.
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20 murals painted under the Caligraph project, generated debates in public spaces and brought well-come colour to Mbare, Chitungwiza and Makokoba among others.
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Investments in 52 social infrastructures under projects like Mbare Art Space saw vital regeneration of a disused beer-garden and attraction of a creative community and precinct. Some of these spaces – like My Beautiful Homes – became beacons of wide community interactions; women led mural paintings of Ndebele rural homes restored heritage, energized identities and earned tangible assets for some 70 winners. Prizes such as chickens, water-storage tanks and farming implements gave women assets to better fend for families.
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There were successes in improved institutional capacities - financial management, project cycle management, M&E as well as outcomes reporting. These processes improved professionalism and accountability capacities.
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40% of the 21 projects funded were female-led and 4 were dedicated almost exclusively to women focus and reach (Media Arts Zimbabwe, Kunzwana Women’s Association, Hear Ladies Speak &My Beautiful Homes). These women stamped a mark and have become agents of change, respected creatives and better skilled professionals – some in previously male-exclusive areas such as DJs and music production.
Strengthening creativity and innovation
Expanding diversity of expression
Creating cohesive communities
Improving livelihoods
Second and Final Call Grant Offers
With support from the European Union, Culture Fund injects over USD214 000 through its CreativeACTIONs project to 13 bold, innovative and exciting Zimbabwe creative sector initiatives
Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust’s CreativeACTIONs project, with financial support from the European Union Delegation to Zimbabwe, announces 13 new grants for Zimbabwe creative sector projects. CreativeACTIONs will support bold, innovative, exciting and COVID-19 sensitive projects selected under a public and highly competitive call for proposals. There was an overwhelming response from all over Zimbabwe. This will be the second time CreativeACTIONs has awarded grants to Zimbabwean creatives since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
CreativeACTIONs is helping boost the momentum of creative movements in Zimbabwe and strengthening capacities for more sustainable creative ecosystems.
LOT 1
Project Name Region
Art Lab - Fusing Art and Technology to Benefit Artists Northern
My Beautiful Home Southern
Building Careers and Enhancing the Resilience of Urban Performance Artists Northern/Southern
Intwasa Digital Arts Festival Southern
Zimbabwean Music Online Northern/Southern
Re-thinking Arts and Pandemics (RAP) Southern
Bambelela Arts on Radio Southern
People-Centric Northern
LOT 2
Project Name Region
Our Handcrafts on the Catwalk Northern
Through the Eyes of Zimbabwe Northern
Visual Arts Mentorship Programme Southern
Centre for Contemporary Art Bulawayo - (OFFER CANCELLED) Southern
Women and Youths in the Arts Economic Empowerment Initiative Northern
CreativeACTIONs Community
Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust’s CreativeACTIONs, funded by the European Union Delegation to Zimbabwe, launched a Call for Proposals on the 11th of March 2020 to strengthen capacities for creative civil society organizations and arts and culture practitioners in Zimbabwe, targeting to support new and innovative projects from Zimbabwean artists, cultural practitioners and institutions, creative civil society organizations, private operators involved in creative industries, arts associations and professional networks as well as arts education institutions.
Second Call for Proposals Announcement
Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust’s CreativeACTIONs, supported by the European Union Delegation to Zimbabwe, launched its 2nd Call for Proposals on the 25th January 2021 to strengthen capacities for Zimbabwean artists, cultural practitioners and institutions, creative civil society organizations, private operators involved in creative industries, arts associations and professional networks as well as arts education institutions. CreativeACTIONs aims to facilitate and strengthen the growth of Zimbabwe creative sector and their capacities to promote equitable access, inclusive participation and benefitting from artistic and cultural expressions by all citizens. It seeks to help improve social cohesion, gender equality and livelihoods. Projects implemented in the digital environment but impacting a diverse and wide range of publics will receive special consideration.
ONLY project proposals containing activities that fully comply with the COVID-19 guidelines and demonstrate adaptability to different stages of the lockdown measures by the government of Zimbabwe will be considered.
Project proposals may be submitted along the following guidelines;
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LOT 1: Minimum of USD6, 000 and a maximum amount of USD50, 000
(The indicative allocation for grants under this category is USD100, 000)
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LOT 2: Minimum of USD500 and a maximum amount of USD5, 000
(The indicative allocation for grants under this category is USD50, 000)
The deadline for submission of proposals 11 March 2021 at 5pm. CALL CLOSED
For further information, please contact:
https://www.culturefund.org.zw/ | info@culturefund.co.zw
+263 242794617 / +263 242794211
(CALL CLOSED)
Culture Fund and EU Zimbabwe Extended USD118 000
Worth of Grants to Zimbabwe’s Creative Sector
The Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust (Culture Fund) in partnership with the European Union Delegation to Zimbabwe continues to support the creative sector in Zimbabwe amid the COVID-19 pandemic. CreativeACTIONs will award grants to new and innovative projects from artists, cultural practitioners, institutions and private operators involved in creative industries. A total of 131 eligible and highly competitive proposals (104 under Lot 1-bigger grants) and (27 under Lot 2-smaller grants) were received. Culture Fund and EU Zimbabwe awarded an initial 9 grants worth a total of USD117, 416 out of an available USD300, 000. Another call for proposals will be announced at the end of the year. Grantees will soon commence implementation of their creative activities - sensitive to on-going COVID-19 measures.
First Call Grant Offers - LOT1
Empowering the Next Generation of Women in Music
The Sisterhood Music Training Project aims to train 63 young females artists in music recording and production, audio engineering, live performance and instruments, music management and DJ-ing, podcast production and audio production; creating a supportive community for women in music, providing the tools, knowledge, and support to further manage their music business and opportunities.
The project expects to strengthen their role in Zimbabwe’s creative sector.
GRANT: USD13,400.00
Upskilling performing artists for enhanced digital and online engagement
The project seeks to support capacity building of theatre artists to better engage with digital and online technologies. It will draw participants from Manicaland, Midlands, Matabeleland and Mashonaland West. This initiative has a special focus on digital skills. Implementation will be carried out through virtual and limited person to person master classes and mentorships.
GRANT: USD 16,540.00
Hanzvadzi Umnawami
The project aims to use murals as dialogue engaging spaces. It targets high traffic areas such as shopping malls and bus terminals within high density suburbs of Zimbabwe cities such as Harare, Bulawayo and Chitungwiza. It seeks to provoke conversations and interactions around pertinent social issues such as those affecting women and youth. Caligraphers will invite live conversations with the public during the mural paintings.
GRANT: USD 13,880.00
Avuxeni Craft Centre
The project aims to strengthen creative engagements with 75 artists within the Great Limpopo Heritage Centre ecosystem in Muhlanguleni, Chiredzi. It will offer skills training opportunities in areas such as product quality, marketing and exhibiting techniques to create viable craft businesses that seek sustainable natural resources exploitation. It further aims to improve the livelihoods of creative sector women and youths.
GRANT: USD 25,360.00
Enhancing creative, innovative and unique designs among Kunzwana artisans in Chilelema Village in Binga District
The project seeks to work with women based in Binga; in particular the Chilelema Village visual creative arts hub and ecosystem of traditional folk art. It will tailor product marketing for their intricate basketry weaving, financial literacy and links to micro-financing institutions, livelihood improvement skills training and co-creation platforms for creatively designed and assembled cultural products. The women will also receive training in World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) rules and compliance procedures.
USD 28,200.00
Simuka Futi/ I Am Funny Too
The project seeks to create opportunities for building a network of up-coming and established comedians from Harare, Bulawayo and Gweru. A workshop and master class are proposed to help strengthen the comedy craft and business skills of selected participants. Mentors will be engaged to coach the participants and help connect them to local and international festivals and events.
GRANT: USD7,705.00
TOTAL LOT 1 GRANTS USD: 105,085.00
First Call Grant Offers - LOT2
Hear Ladies Speak
Girls Aloud is a podcast based project that deals with all things women. Podcast episodes will be 30 minutes long and dwell on one specific arts and culture topic; segmented into the host’s topic of the day, the studio guest and a review of comments by the public collected before the episode airs via social media platforms. The podcast host is Nozibelo Maphosa, a blogger and social media follower.
GRANT: USD3,750.00
Convergence Zimbabwe
#ConvergenceZW project seeks to create a convergence between artists, venues and audiences. By using photography, blog posts and social media, it puts a spotlight of artistic brands and makes them known to a wider audience and preserves their profiles for reference by present and future generations.
GRANT: USD4,620.00
The promotion of culture through traditional dances in Chipinge district
The project partners Holland Mphongo Traditional Dance Group with primary school age children in Chikore, Chipinge. It will offer specialist training in Mphongo dance, drumming, and drums preparation for performance skills.
GRANT: USD 3,961.00
TOTAL LOT 2 GRANTS USD: 12,331.00
TOTAL FIRST CALL GRANTS: USD 117,416.00