Harare, Zimbabwe — In a concerted effort to empower Zimbabwe's creative and cultural industries stakeholders and facilitate their transition from the informal to the formal economy, UNESCO, in partnership with the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ), convened a landmark capacity-building workshop in Harare in January 2025. The workshop provided essential insights on formalisation and professionalisation, equipping artists and cultural professionals with the tools needed to navigate and thrive in a structured and supportive creative economy.
The Case for Formalisation
Oliver Chauke, the Marondera-based Programmes Officer from NACZ, highlighted the significant advantages of formal registration with the council. He explained that formalisation not only ensures legal recognition but also opens doors to critical benefits, such as:
Chauke walked participants through the practical steps of formalisation, from completing the free application form to submitting necessary documents and obtaining a certificate of registration.
Indeed, formalisation is the beginning of securing social protections for CCI stakeholders, as Nicole (below), one of the representatives from the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) underscored:
"We all need to prepare for retirement, whether in formal or informal employment. Dignity in old age matters." said Nicole, a National Social Security Authority representative.
A NSSA representative speaks on tax compliance for creatives in the informal and formal sector.
UNESCO ROSA
Voices from the Creative Sector
BS Brown, musician and Director of YES Trust Zimbabwe, underscored the need for stakeholders to formalise their operations.
"We realised as organizations that a lot of us are not registered. I'm ready to register. Workshops like these are invaluable, but we need them to reach marginalised communities too." said BS Brown, musician and Director of YES Trust Zimbabwe.
Napoleon Nyanhi, Chief Executive Officer of NACZ, stressed the urgency of adopting formal structures, "As a sector, we have to make serious efforts to be recognised. When the Ministry of Finance talks about the informal sector, 90% of our work as creatives is considered informal because we don't have the structures. The core message today is to encourage practitioners in your provinces to formalise. Our goal for 2025 and beyond is to register as many artists and associations with the NACZ as possible. The spectrum has expanded to 40 categories, including ceramics, body arts, and culinary arts. This is the foundation for a sustainable creative economy."
Building Digital Strategies for Creative Growth
In his presentation on digital opportunities, Phil Chard, the Founder of Point Black Africa, a Digital Agency and Label, emphasized how artists can harness technology to unlock global markets. Key strategies included:
"If you know your audience, you can find your voice. If you find your voice, you can reach your audience." Phil advised.
Looking Forward
Barbara Gotore, the Deputy Director of the NACZ summed up the workshop's spirit eloquently and succinctly:
"New encounters bring new insights. The NACZ is the mother-body of the creative sector, and two critical words from today are formalisation and professionalisation." said Barbara Gotore, the Deputy Director of the NACZ.
The capacity-building workshop marked a significant step towards achieving Zimbabwe's Vision 2030 goals for the cultural and creative industries. By fostering formalisation and professional growth, Zimbabwe's creative sector is poised for sustainable development and enhanced global competitiveness.
As participants returned to their provinces, the collective mandate was clear: disseminate the knowledge gained, encourage registration with NACZ, and contribute to building a robust, formalised creative economy. With ongoing support from UNESCO and NACZ, the future of Zimbabwe's cultural and creative sectors looks promising.
The workshop was supported by the UNESCO-Aschberg Programme.
