The Culture Fund Zimbabwe Trust shared and celebrated the success stories of projects they have funded over the years at their offices last month.

Dubbed the Art Capsule, the all-day event showcased different art forms including theatre, dance, music, fashion and visual art. The first live performance was from St. Giles School who were representing the annual Special Schools’ Festival. They gave an amazing performance including cover versions of songs such as Andy Brown’s Mawere Kongonya, Jah Prayzah’s Mwanasikana, and Winky D’s Disappear. They wowed the audience with drummers and mbira players who played well with a tightly rehearsed band. St. Giles teacher and Special Schools Festival director Ticha Muzavazi said, “The drummer, Tanyaradzwa Dondo, has been blind all his life but he is an incredible drummer and excellent with a computer.”

Next up was the Let Them Festival theatre champions, Mufakose High II, who performed a new play entitled Solo naMutsai. They presented a tale of forbidden love, set in rural Zimbabwe using mime, physical theatre and dance. The cast was brilliant, but credit must also be given to director Patrick Chakaingeni, an actor who studied at the University of the Western Cape. Chakaingeni hopes to continue to develop high school theatre in Harare, starting with Mufakose High.

Tumbuka Dance Trust also showcased their magnificent Dark Swan piece for the second time in Zimbabwe, choreographed by Norah Pasipamire. The dance fused traditional and modern styles while including live mbira music, much to the delight of the audience.

Other performances came from Vee Mukarati and Devine, a StarBrite finalist and winner of last year’s Zim’s Got Talent.

In visual art, Village Unhu had an incredible display featuring both paintings and installations by various artists, among them Kresiah Mukwazhi, Epheas Maposa, Fungayi Mwale, Victoria Machisa and Georgina Maxim.

The most eye-catching artwork was however a sculpture by Mukwazhi. The piece had an interesting display of gender inequality: a chair with plastic doll legs and a woman’s under-garment being taken off. Mukwazhi said, “I was expressing the struggle of taking off the burden of being a woman, hence the uncomfortable undergarment.”a

The event came to an end with the launch of Footsteps, a book that documents the art initiatives funded by Culture Fund since 2008. Culture Fund board chair Susan Mutangadura said, “We have had 10 years of impacting development through art. We aim to send a message that though the country is facing many challenges, we must continue hoping and believing.”

Image: Dance performance by Tumbuka at the Culture Fund Art Capsule event last month.