LACK of sponsorship and corporate support has compounded the problem of poor returns faced by a majority of local artistes.
Despite delivering top drawer products local artistes have barely enjoyed the fruits of their labour chiefly as a result of piracy as well as lack of efficient marketing and distribution channels.
But one group has begun to reap impressive fruits from its sweat.
Ziya Cultural Arts Trust producers of the popular and inimitable Sabhuku Vharazipi have hit a purple patch.
The trust has embarked on a countrywide tour delivering performances supported by various local and international organisations.
The group has engaged the organisations for marketing and awareness campaigns.
Sabhuku Vharazipi has become popular for addressing various subjects and issues affecting society in a most humorous way.
Speaking to Patriot Arts, Wellington Chindara, Ziya coordinator said the partnerships with the different corporate and civic organisations was meant to effectively impart important and life-changing messages in various communities.
“The arts are effective in driving home very important messages and we are working with various institutions to effectively spread their messages,” he said.
The hilarious character Sabhuku Vharazipi and his crew using both English and deep Karanga Shona have managed to capture the hearts and attention of all age groups in the country.
Chindara said the trust’s popularity and a distinctive style had resulted in the corporate sector stampeding for their services.
“Our brand continues to grow and we are just no longer attracting more fans but more business deals,” he said.
With talented actors such as David Mubaiwa better known as Sabhuku Vharazipi ,Kumbirai Chikonye (Mbuya Mai John) and Denis Rusoso (VaMayaya), Ziya has shown how comedy can be an effective tool in highlighting critical social, economic and political issues.
The group’s comic acts are laden with advice on how to handle day-to-day problems and challenges.
Issues to do with child marriage, domestic violence, HIV and AIDS are some of the subjects dealt with by the group.
Prominent Organisations working with Ziya include Non-Governmental Organisations Plan Zimbabwe, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) among others.
Chindara said the arts, fully supported and promoted, will help accelerate development in the country.
“Programmes for development will get a massive boost supported by the arts,” he said.
“There is more to the arts than just performing for money, though comedy ignites laughter there is more to it than just laughter. Beneath the humour is rich information that helps people tackle problems or acquire knowledge on certain subjects that impact on life,” he said.
“ The corporates only gives us information of what they want us to deliver and we come up with an act that aptly delivers the message.”
The partnerships, he said, had significantly improved their financial fortunes.
“We have suffered from the scourge of piracy as our products are being sold on the streets for instance we have not realised much from Sabhuku Vharazipi 1 and 2 but live shows that we are doing around the country have been beneficial finance wise,” he said.
“Working in partnership with professional outfits,” he said, “was keeping the trust in business.”
A majority of performers in the arts industry particularly in the film and theatre sector have hung up boots due to poor returns that have resulted in performers failing to make ends meet.
Prevailing economic difficulties induced by illegal sanctions imposed on the country by the West have crippled industries that in the past engaged the industry to produce advertisements for products.
“Back in the day we had actors and comedians like Lawrence Simbarashe, popularly known as Bhonzo featuring in soap advertisements that were hilarious and helped push the product on the market. Thus the manufacturing sector for example can closely work with the arts sector to ensure that we promote local brands that have been affected by foreign products,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chindara said the trust was working on Sabhuku Vharazipi 3.
“We will soon be releasing Sabhuku Vharazipi 3 and we hope that we will realise tangible benefits from the production and that we are not derailed by piracy,” he said.
To counter piracy in the past the group has embarked on national tours selling DVDs.
The trust which has become a darling with both fans and sponsors has relied on originality to stay in business.
So impressive has been its work that leading newspaper publisher Zimpapers donated US$10 000 to the trust to help in the production of Sabhuku Vharazipi 2.