The year 2015 was an amazing year which saw us treated to some creative brilliance in all spheres of artistic expression. As everyone takes stock of what they did and reflects on triumphs or failures in 2015. I take this time to celebrate human creativity.
From hit album offerings from creative musical savants like Kendric Lamar, Adele, locally Jah Prayzah, Sandra Ndebele, Cynthia Mara and Hip-Hop sensation Cal_Vin giving music lovers their unique flavour of music. I personally was rocking my head to Kendrick Lamar’s hit song ‘Alright’. Not forgetting Zim Dancehall my personal songs of the moment Winky D’s ‘Disappear’ and Killer T’s Ngoma Ndoimba, are on the musical front.
The silver screen saw us singing along to the ‘Empire’ musical series now on season 2 and sitting down to watch Tonight with Zororo Makamba on DSTV’s Zambezi Magic. Star Wars’ latest offering ‘The Force Awakens’ a blockbuster US box office hit movie got us glued to the screens. Not forgetting the South African movie ‘Chappie’ a robot with a consciousness. I loved the idea and quality, as for what the movie experts had to say I say ignore it and clap your hands for African creativity.
Zimbabwean creatives have been hard at work in 2015 and the results are showing just that. Our creative economy is growing slowly and surely offering opportunities for self-employment, job creation and urban regeneration. Although it is on the rise it has not yet grown to the levels of our African counterparts like South Africa and Nigeria. Which have gone as far as having the Creative Industries contribute part of their economies GDP. So as I reflect on 2015 here are some notable creative events, moments and achievements of 2015.
Zimbabwean Representative for the International Society for Performing Arts (ISPA) 2015 Butshilo Nleya
BUTSHILO NLEYA
Zimbabwean Butshilo Nleya was ISPA’s 2015 Global Fellowship Program participant. Butshilo Nleya is the director of Born to life Cultural Trust in Zimbabwe. This is a not-for-profit organization that was set up to develop the arts sector in Zimbabwe by way of planning and implementing; educational, heritage and culture, performance art and arts entrepreneurship projects.
The active projects include; the Bulawayo Culture Festival and other regional festivals, Dance training and excellence, LGBTI drama and poetry, Freedom of Speech, The School Of Comedy and Relinking communities through Arts. Through this work, Butshilo has assumed other roles which include, Producer, Arts manager, Human Rights ART’ivist, Festival director, and Leadership mentor.
Butshilo has a deep love for percussive ethnic music and theatre and spent extended periods touring and teaching around the world. His personal statement is to be part of the young, fresh and new creative energy in Africa. ISPA Congresses are attended by more than 500 leaders from more than 50 countries representing different cultures and disciplines within the performing arts field. Programming is geared toward administrators, presenters, managers, agents, artists and
Tafadzwa Gweta First African Curator At The 56Th Venice Biennale Art Festival In Venice 2015
TAFADZWA GWETA
Tafadzwa Gweta First African Curator At The 56Th Venice Biennale Art Festival In Venice 2015. First Zimbabwean Comedian To Get A Savanna
Comics’ Choice Award Nomination.
Carl Joshua Ncube
Carl Joshua Ncube a Standup Comedian, Life Coach, Celebrity Chief, Talk Show Host and Multimedia specialist. The 5th Annual South African Savanna Comics’ Choice Awards® 2015 saw about 200 comics vying for just six of the coveted Waldo statuettes, which makes them almost impossible to win, the Zimbabwean born comedian Carl Joshua Ncube a nominee at the prestigious South African Savanna Comics’ awards.
The hard-working multitalented Carl Joshua Ncube also has been featured on the Zimbabwean talk show Tonight with Zororo Makamba and had his own late-night TV show called Late Night with Carl Joshua Ncube. Also, Carl Joshua Ncube made it to be one of the top African comedians to be on the DSTV Comedy Central International Comedy Festival. Other comics at the festival which ran from 16 November to 5 December 2015 included new The Daily Show host Trevor Noah, ‘Roastmaster General Jeff Ross, Goliath & Goliath, Casper de Vries, Schalk Bezuindhout and others. All in all, in 2015 Carl Joshua Ncube has been raising the bar as a Zimbabwean Comedian and African creative.
Tonight with Zororo Makamba made it on to DSTV
Tonight with Zororo is vibrant, current affairs talk show that tackles various issues from the perspective of the young urbanite. A late-night talk show, Tonight with Zororo aims to bring you the best possible insights into youth-orientated, socio-economical issues in Zimbabwe. Zororo Makamba is a Zimbabwean radio personality, television host, and producer. On radio, Makamba started his career at ZiFM Stereo and now he hosts Tonight with Zororo.
The television show which featured amazing African creatives and their stories is definitely a huge achievement for the Zimbabwean creative industries. Tonight with Zororo is Directed and Produced by Nqobizitha “ENQORE” Mlilo. Enqore, named one of Africa’s top 10 innovators using the internet by Google, is one of Zimbabwe’s leading animators and directors. He has an expansive portfolio of award-winning work that spans music videos, Adverts Online documentaries and web shows.
These are about some of the most notable creative achievements of 2015 and Kwantuthu Arts Magazine celebrates just a few of the numerous creative achievements of 2015. To get a full view of all the creative works and the creatives behind them get our upcoming 2015 Zimbabwean Creatives list featuring all the talents, minds, individuals, groups and organizations developing our Zimbabwean and African creative industries.
