The popular Sungura maestro was diagnosed with Non- Hodgkins Lymphoma a form of cancer that attacks the white blood cells. After a protracted struggle, the singer succumbed to the disease on Saturday.

May his soul rest in eternal peace

The Culture Fund envisions a thriving Zimbabwe that is confident in its innovation and creativity that is nurtured through a culture of open dialogue and creation of knowledge accessible to all its citizens.  The Culture Fund plays a leading role in gearing the country towards becoming a creative society benefiting from a creative economy.  It supports the cultural sphere through results-based programming.

info@culturefund.co.zw

http://www.culturefund.org.zw

HIVsport is in a European partnership funded by EuropeAid. Our lead partner is the Open Education Centre Foundation in Bulgaria. The objective of this project is to encourage young people and educators from Europe (Bulgaria, Romania, Italy and the UK) and Southern Africa to take action to deal with problems in their communities in support of realisation of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The overall winner was  ‘Goal for Hope’ by Danny Lurie, South Africa with Timmins sharing the runners up position for his film ‘In Touch’ with ‘Dribbled to a Second Chance‘ – group entry – by Ioana Toma, Oleg Blajin and Emilia Apostu (Care of Monica Cugler at Agenda 21), Romania ‘Whizzkids United’ – South Africa and ‘Play it Safe’ – THT, United Kingdom

The next stage for the competition is to compile the five final films into one omnibus documentary for use as an educational tool in schools.

The Culture Fund envisions a thriving Zimbabwe that is confident in its innovation and creativity that is nurtured through a culture of open dialogue and creation of knowledge accessible to all its citizens.  The Culture Fund plays a leading role in gearing the country towards becoming a creative society benefiting from a creative economy.  It supports the cultural sphere through results-based programming.

info@culturefund.co.zw

http://www.culturefund.org.zw

12. Oliver Mtukudzi, 59, Zimbabwean, Musician

“Before the year runs out, the Zimbabwean legend will collaborate with Alicia Keys on an album that’ll sensitize African mothers on the importance of HIV programmes. Mtukudzi, 59, is the most popular musician from Zimbabwe to have found substantial success and acclaim in international circles. He sings in Zimbabwe’s dominant Shona language about political violence and struggles of everyday life and has released over 45 albums till date which have sold millions of copies. He is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Eastern and Southern Africa.”

The magazine lists our very on Zimbabwean  icon Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi  in the same ranks as Nigerian playwright Wole Soyinka the first African to win the Nobel Prize in Literature and Ivorian soccer star Didier Drogba.

The process for electing those that made the list ” involved sifting through the nominations for the individuals with the highest numbers of votes, and then measuring their media visibility (exposure in print, television, radio and online), number of web references on Google, TV/radio mentions and their general clout across the continent”

The Culture Fund would like to convey its sincere condolonces to the Mafika family on the untimely passing of   mbira player, teacher and  musician  Taku Mafika.  May his soul rest in peace.

Taku Mafika had 1 album to his name and worked with artists including Alexio, Willom Tight and the late Sam Mtukudzi.Through his career he performed the mbira in Poland, Germany, Italy, Austria Switzerland and Zimbabwe.

The Culture Fund envisions a thriving Zimbabwe that is confident in its innovation and creativity that is nurtured through a culture of open dialogue and creation of knowledge accessible to all its citizens.  The Culture Fund plays a leading role in gearing the country towards becoming a creative society benefiting from a creative economy.  It supports the cultural sphere through results-based programming.

info@culturefund.co.zw

http://www.culturefund.org.zw

Debtweek, otherwise known as the annual ‘Global Week on Debt and IFIs’ is a week of citizens’ actions and mobilizations worldwide, around the issue of unsustainable public debt and its negative impacts on the citizens and economies of poor countries globally.

The play is a professional and insightful work of art, which emphasises the need for citizens and their elected representatives to be consulted in matters relating to their economy. The specific issue under focus is public finance management, in particular the contraction, management and payment of public debts.

The Culture Fund envisions a thriving Zimbabwe that is confident in its innovation and creativity that is nurtured through a culture of open dialogue and creation of knowledge accessible to all its citizens.  The Culture Fund plays a leading role in gearing the country towards becoming a creative society benefiting from a creative economy.  It supports the cultural sphere through results-based programming.

info@culturefund.co.zw

http://www.culturefund.org.zw

WED 12, 5.30pm
POETRY AFRICA: Discussion, “Politics and Culture in the Lyrics of Bob Marley”, with Kwame Dawes. FREE, all welcome

WED 12, 8pm
POETRY AFRICA: POETRY AND MUSIC EXPRESSION SESSION featuring Didier Awadi (Senegal), Tibass Kangu (DRC), Chiwoniso Maraire (Zimbabwe) and Kwame Dawes

THU 13, 5.30pm
POETRY AFRICA: Discussion – “Freedom of Expression through Poetry: African Perspectives”. FREE, All welcome

THU 13, 8pm
POETRY AFRICA – POETRY AFRICA SHOWCASE featuring performances by Chris Abani (Nigeria), Tibass Kangu (DRC), Chiwoniso Maraire (Zimbabwe), Jaap Blonk (The Netherlands), Kwame Dawes (Ghana/Jamaica), TJ Dema (Botswana), Lebo Mashile (South Africa), Shailja Patel (Kenya), Dickson (Zimbabwe) and Xapa (Zimbabwe)

The Culture Fund envisions a thriving Zimbabwe that is confident in its innovation and creativity that is nurtured through a culture of open dialogue and creation of knowledge accessible to all its citizens.  The Culture Fund plays a leading role in gearing the country towards becoming a creative society benefiting from a creative economy.  It supports the cultural sphere through results-based programming.

info@culturefund.co.zw

http://www.culturefund.org.zw

Signatories the 3 nations forming the partnership, France, Germany and Britain

Signing the EUNIC partnership

Invited guests from the diplomatic community and developmental sector

Invited guests from the diplomatic community and developmental sector

Refreshments and cocktails

Invited guests from the diplomatic community and developmental sector

British Council office exterior by night

Pictures by Olga Muhwati

The Culture Fund envisions a thriving Zimbabwe that is confident in its innovation and creativity that is nurtured through a culture of open dialogue and creation of knowledge accessible to all its citizens.  The Culture Fund plays a leading role in gearing the country towards becoming a creative society benefiting from a creative economy.  It supports the cultural sphere through results-based programming.

info@culturefund.co.zw

http://www.culturefund.org.zw

At Peter Norton Symphony Space in NYC November 1^st at 8:00pm

New York, NY – September 30, 2011: Music 4 Orphans presents a benefit concert with Zimbabwean music icon and humanitarian “Tuku” Oliver Mtukudzi and the world renowned violinist Daisy Jopling along with percussionist Bashiri Johnson, who performed in Michael Jackson’s film “This Is It,”  and South African bass player Bakithi Kumalo, known for his forward/backward bass fill on “You Can Call Me Al,” from Paul Simon’s album “Graceland,” in an electrifying program of music to raise funds to benefit orphans in the USA and Zimbabwe.

Also performing are Chaka Ngwenya from Zimbabwe (founder of SARFMRADIO.com, an American-based African web-radio station) and young stage performer/ singer Gabrielle Sansone from New York and the award-winning Hendrick Hudson HS Treble Makers, an all-girls choral group. The Benefit Concert will be held at Peter Norton Symphony Space in NYC on November 1, 2011 at 8:00pm.   Symphony Space is located at 2537 Broadway at 95th Street, New York, NY 10025-6990. Tel: 212.864.5400. For tickets log onto Symphony space at www.SymphonySpace.org Tickets may also be won at www.sarfmradio.com. For information about Music 4 Orphans, log onto www.Music4Orphans.com

Music 4 Orphans is a group of world class musicians who have come together to perform concerts and write music to inspire and raise funds for orphans and underprivileged children.  Their mission is to empower young minds worldwide through the experience and performance of music.

Profits from the concert will support production costs of Music 4 Orphans’ next two concerts in Zimbabwe and South Africa: Harare Zimbabwe on February 3, 2012; and Cape Town South Africa, on February 5, 2012. All profits from the African concerts will be donated to the orphans and underprivileged children in Zimbabwe to help launch a strings program in “Pakare Paye“, Oliver Mtukudzi’s Music Academy in Harare, and to support the N.S.F.C Salvation Army Guruve project in Zimbabwe.

In NYC, Music 4 Orphans is collaborating with the Police Athletic League (PAL) to offer 500 local school children the opportunity to attend an afternoon performance of the “Music 4 Orphans NYC” show at Symphony Space at 5pm on November 1, 2011. They will offer a five-session workshop given by Scarlett Antonia at the PAL Centers in NYC to teach youths about producing a show prior to the November 1^st concert. Between twelve and fifteen children will perform a 5 minute piece at the beginning of the afternoon performance at 5pm on November 1^st in Symphony Space.  Music 4 Orphans will also help to fund a strings music program in the Peekskill Elementary schools in NY.

In Zimbabwe, Music 4 Orphans will perform in local schools and orphanages during the days leading up to the main concerts in February 2012. The organization will offer orphans and underprivileged children an opportunity to attend concerts of the highest international level for free.

Among the program’s musical performances, the song Nherera “Orphan”, written and composed by Chaka Ngwenya  and produced by Bashiri Johnson and Brian Taylor,  will be  sung in Shona (Zimbabwe) and English. The song seeks to offer comfort to orphans, and bring into people’s awareness the issues millions of children face today.

For more information on the Music 4 Orphans concert go to www.music4orphans.com. Media inquiries, please contact Cindy Beer-Fouhy at cindyf@bestweb.net

The Culture Fund envisions a thriving Zimbabwe that is confident in its innovation and creativity that is nurtured through a culture of open dialogue and creation of knowledge accessible to all its citizens.  The Culture Fund plays a leading role in gearing the country towards becoming a creative society benefiting from a creative economy.  It supports the cultural sphere through results-based programming.

info@culturefund.co.zw

http://www.culturefund.org.zw

A high quality mix of poets and musicians come together for Poetry Africa 2011, which this year travels to Zimbabwe and Malawi as well as South African cities. Performance showcases take place in Blantyre on 8 October, Johannesburg on 11 October, Harare on 13 October and Cape Town on 15 October, before culminating at the main Poetry Africa festival in Durban from 17 to 22 October

The Culture Fund envisions a thriving Zimbabwe that is confident in its innovation and creativity that is nurtured through a culture of open dialogue and creation of knowledge accessible to all its citizens.  The Culture Fund plays a leading role in gearing the country towards becoming a creative society benefiting from a creative economy.  It supports the cultural sphere through results-based programming.

info@culturefund.co.zw

http://www.culturefund.org.zw

Programme

Saturday 8 – 7pm @ Rainbow Towers, Jacaranda Room
Italian Dinner” & Opening Ceremony
Dudu Manhenga, Raffaele Casarano Apulia Jazz 4tet (Italy)

Sunday 9 – 1pm Lunch @ Harare Safari Lodge, Lake Chivero – free entertainment
Jazz invitation, Raffaele Casarano Apulia Jazz 4tet (Italy), Dudu Manhenga

Monday 10 – 7 pm @ the Mannenberg
Prudence Katomene, Francesco Bearzatti Tinissima Quartet

Tuesday 11 – 7pm @ the Mannenberg
Kunle Ayo (Nigeria), Amanda e la Banda (Italy)
Wednesday 12 – 7pm @ Celebration Centre ~ Amphitheatre */Ethiopian Airways Day
Jazz Invitation, Prudence Katomene,

International Jam Session with Kunle Ayo (Nigeria), Dudu Manhenga, Raffaele Casarano Apulia Jazz 4tet (Italy), Oliver Mtukudzi, Amanda e la Banda (Italy)

Thursday 13 – 7pm @ the Mannenberg/
International Open Stage

Friday 14 – 7pm @ the Italian Club – Telecel Day
Dudu Manhenga, Raffaele Casarano Apulia Jazz 4tet (Italy), Oliver Mtukudzi

Saturday 15 – 7pm @ the Italian Club – Peroni Day
Kunle Ayo (Nigeria), Prudence Katomene (Italy), Amanda e la Banda

Infoline: 0734 797 515

The Culture Fund envisions a thriving Zimbabwe that is confident in its innovation and creativity that is nurtured through a culture of open dialogue and creation of knowledge accessible to all its citizens.  The Culture Fund plays a leading role in gearing the country towards becoming a creative society benefiting from a creative economy.  It supports the cultural sphere through results-based programming.

The Culture Fund envisions a thriving Zimbabwe that is confident in its innovation and creativity that is nurtured through a culture of open dialogue and creation of knowledge accessible to all its citizens.  The Culture Fund plays a leading role in gearing the country towards becoming a creative society benefiting from a creative economy.  It supports the cultural sphere through results-based programming.

info@culturefund.org.zw

http://www.culturefund.org.zw

The Culture Fund envisions a thriving Zimbabwe that is confident in its innovation and creativity that is nurtured through a culture of open dialogue and creation of knowledge accessible to all its citizens.  The Culture Fund plays a leading role in gearing the country towards becoming a creative society benefiting from a creative economy.  It supports the cultural sphere through results-based programming.

info@culturefund.co.zw

http://www.culturefund.org.zw

info@culturefund.co.zw

http://www.culturefund.org.zw

The  Standard Cover to Cover Children writing competition offers a supportive programme where children engage in writing stories.The competition aims to foster the joy in writing, the intrigue of language, and the confidence of authorship in young children. The project explores young writers’ initiatives and ideas beyond the classroom by encouraging and improving writing across the nation.

The Culture Fund is proud to be a funding partner of this initiative for the 3^rd year running. The awards ceremony for 2011 winners will be held on the 7^th of October 2011 at the Meikles Hotel in Harare.

The Culture Fund envisions a thriving Zimbabwe that is confident in its innovation and creativity that is nurtured through a culture of open dialogue and creation of knowledge accessible to all its citizens.  The Culture Fund plays a leading role in gearing the country towards becoming a creative society benefiting from a creative economy.  It supports the cultural sphere through results-based programming.

info@culturefund.co.zw

http://www.culturefund.org.zw

Zimbabwe’s longest running longest-running film festival, the Zimbabwe International Film Festival is running until the 7th of October, having officially opened last Friday night at the Harare Gardens. The festival will present presenting  50 screenings of current films from around the world.

The festival has spread its venues out this year in a bid to bring cinemas were none exist and to expose the Zimbabwean audience to different genres of film.

Screenings this year are taking place at various venues including The Harare Gardens, Alliance Française, The Spanish Embassy, National Art Gallery, Pakare Paye Arts Centre and Young Africa Skills Centre.

Other than film screenings the festival is also running workshops at the Mannenburg and the Book Café from the 3rd to the 7th of October with the    aim to stimulate industry’s capacity.  The Festival offers a rich film program, seminars and discussions that engender the exchange of ideas and information focusing on industry development.

The Culture Fund envisions a thriving Zimbabwe that is confident in its innovation and creativity that is nurtured through a culture of open dialogue and creation of knowledge accessible to all its citizens.  The Culture Fund plays a leading role in gearing the country towards becoming a creative society benefiting from a creative economy.  It supports the cultural sphere through results-based programming.

info@culturefund.co.zw

http://www.culturefund.org.zw

Alliance logo and banner,

Part of the 100 strong crowd who came out to celebrate with the French,

Ladies networking,

Victor Kunonga and John Kotze,

Soukaina Edom, Dance Trust of Zimbabwe,

Coke, Wine, Spar, Mbira

Guests,

Steve Brown,

More guests,

British Embassy Deputy Ambassador, Tim Cole with Premeire Auto Services Business Development Manager, Manfred Chaniwa,

Mbizo Chirasha and other invited guests,

Invited guests sharing a drink

Photos by Olga Muhwati

Culture Fund of  Zimbabwe Trust

info@culturefund.co.zw

www.culturefund.org.zw

Front Row Seating( Buy your tickets now)

The team making things happen

The team making things happen

Goodie Bags!!

On Stand-By

Making it work!

Town House :Views From the 13th Floor Joina City

Kopje::Views From the 13th Floor Joina City

Construction House, Netone Building:Views From the 13th Floor Joina City

Dhorobha re Harare:Views From the 13th Floor Joina City

The Zimbabwe Fashion Weeks opening Show is on tonight @ 7.30 pm the opening show will be presented in the 13th floor of the Joina City Mall. Designers Showcasing tonight Christine Wolf, Sindiso Sibanda, Kickstart and Thula Sindi.

ZFW will present a press conference at 3.30pm this afternoon in Joina City Sondela Restaurant on the 2nd Floor of the Mall Building!

info@culturefund.co.zw

http://www.culturefund.org.zw

Through the recently formulated Creative Arts Mobility Programme by the Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust Melusi Nhengu and Priscilla Ruzive were awarded funds to enable them to present a collection during the upcoming Zimbabwe Fashion week.

Melusi Nhengu is a 22 year old  male designer, who is also the creator of Haus of iGugulethu he is also the head designer, heading a team of one tailor plus a freelance designer.

Priscilla Ruzive participated in the Zimbabwe fashion Week in 2010 and was first runner up in the 2011 Young Designers Competition. She has designed outfits for international pageants for the current Miss Zimbabwe Malaika Mashandu and has created her own label I AM.

The Culture Fund opted to assist them in a bid to bring fashion to the forefront of our arts and culture sector. These young designers who are taking part in the Fusion Programme are being given an in valuable platform that is meant to spearhead their career as well as their fashion houses. Priscilla and Melusi have been given slots to showcase their works on the final day of the fashion show at Joina City Mall on the 2^nd of September 2011 at 19.30pm.

Creative Arts Mobility Programme (CAMP) is a programme that aims to give funds to the creative and the  fine arts sector for the movement to crafts and showcasing arenas. This fund will ensure that fine arts products are showcased at both local and regional and possibly international fairs, hence creating necessary market and revenue for the artists.  This programme will provide the opportunity for creative individuals to connect and participate in major national and international art events, empowering them through the ability to “be there”.

info@culturefund.org.zw

http://www.culturefund.org.zw

The Zimbabwe Fashion Week kicks of tomorrow with an opening cocktail at Joina City hosted by the French and German ambassadors to Zimbabwe. The Fashion week is in its second year running this year, with invaluable funding coming in from The Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust and other funders in both the diplomatic and business communities in Zimbabwe,the week is set to surpass expectations.

The Culture Fund is supporting this initiative with resources for the training of up and coming fashion designers in what the organizers termed the “Fusion Programme”. The Fusion Programme is bringing together aspiring fashion designers from around the country including Masvingo to participate in a three week long design workshop at the Zimbabwe German Society in Milton Park.

The Zimbabwe Fashion week will give the workshop participants a platform to showcase their works during one of the four fashion days starting on Wednesday the 31^st of August and ending on the 3^rd of September 2011. The Fusion Programme Collections will take to the ramp on Friday night at 19.30pm.

With the coming on board of various sponsors and the dedication of the organizers, the event should become a permanent feature on the arts and culture calendar. The four-day official schedule includes on-site collection shows held within the newly constructed Joina City mall, fashion exhibition stands and off-site collection shows at the Harare City Library.

Zimbabwe Fashion week is set to become premier fashion industry event providing a platform for designers to showcase their extensive collections to the country’s public and hopefully in the future the world’s most influential buyers and media.

Fashion can contribute to social, ideological, and cultural dialogue, the medium can become the message The Culture Fund through its new programming model chose to fund the fashion week as it speaks directly to the fund’s goal to promote talent search, development, showcasing within the arts and culture sector.

The Culture Fund plays a leading role in gearing the country towards becoming a creative society benefiting from a creative economy.  It supports the cultural sphere through results-based programming.

info@culturefund.co.zw

http://www.culturefund.org.zw

Harare Visual Arts Sector Steering Committee cordially invites you to its second meeting with Harare Visual Artists to be held on August 26, 2011 at 11:00am at the National Art Gallery of Zimbabwe in Harare. The purpose of the meeting is to record artists’ views towards formation of a strong representative visual arts body that will legally assists visual artists redress their various concerns. If formed the visual arts body in wide consultation with various stakeholders will also be expected to come up with proposals of sustainable policies that can protect artists and their work from abuse and exploitation. The established Harare representative art body in collaboration with other representative visual art bodies from various regions of the country will be expected to speak with one voice when lobbing for formulation of sustainable policies that will address the current grey areas in the country’s copyright legislation. The Harare Visual Arts Sector Steering Committee looks forward to seeing you at the seminar.

Yours sincerely Stephen Garan’anga
Chairperson
garananga@gmail.com
0712422249

As we celebrate the New Year and the re- opening of our offices in the new year. It is with great sadness that we also mourn the death of veteran Zimbabwean Writer and Poet Julius Chingono who passed away on Sunday 2 January 2011.

May his soul rest in peace

With the who’s who’s in the arts and culture showing up to show their support the biggest contribution of all came from the artists, namely Oliver Mtukudzi and Victor Kunonga who performed for almost capacity filled theater for free!

The National Arts Council should be saluted for their undying service to the arts and culture sector in Zimbabwe.

The Culture Fund takes this sopportunity to say “Congratulations Makorokoto Amhlope” to one of our greatest partners in our bid to contribute to the growth of the culture sector in Zimbabwe.