The Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust has availed a US$2 million grant under a three-year project named Creative Actions Two to assist artistes.
Under the Creative Actions Two project, the Culture Fund will avail small grants of up to US$11 000 per grant and larger grants of up to US$60 000 per grant to successful applicants.
Culture Fund Executive Director Farai Mpfunya says the programme seeks to strengthen capacity, innovation and creativity in the creative industry. Mpfunya said:
We have a new project called creative actions. For this project, we will be supported by the European Union, it will run for three years. So, we have come with it to explain to artists how it runs and how they can come on board.
The Culture Fund and National Arts Council of Zimbabwe met with artists in Bindura to raise awareness of the fund.
Artists committed to being involved as funding has been a major constraint. ZBC News cites one artiste as saying:
The meeting we had today as artistes from all of Mashonaland Central to discuss with culture fund was an eye opener.
Apart from individual practitioners and creative civil society, the project is also targeting schools, colleges, community-based actors, associations and unions, among other groups.