Zambian creatives are stepping up – NAC

The National Arts Council of Zambia noted that the Creative Convergence events that were recently held in Lusaka Zambia achieved their goal of exposing Zambian artists and creatives to the international stage.

Critics however feel that Zambian creatives were largely sidelined during the events which they felt gave centre stage to foreign Creatives.

NAC Director Adrian Chipindi said in an interview with 5fm Radio News that a number of partnerships between Zambia and Nigeria were established from the events that are yet to materialize.

He said Zambian creatives are also doing well and that they created an enabling environment for the international events.

“We think that Zambian Creatives are stepping up, even when the Nigerians came here they found that the ground was very fertile, they didn’t find an empty country, they found a lot of creatives that were working in that space.” Said Mr. Chipindi.

He further explained that “And for us one of the reflections I can tell you, a point pf pride for the summit was the number of organic partnerships that have emerged out of the summit outside the formal agreements, outside the formal frameworks”

“There were a lot of artists who’ve gone on now to create their own partnerships with the colleagues that came.” He said.

Meanwhile Assistant Director for Performing and Literary Arts Mwiche Chikungu says the events were a great efforts towards bringing Africa together and at the same time growing the Zambian Industry.

“Given that we’re trying to network more as Africans, we need to find a way of beginning and I think we made a great effort in that direction, how we can pool resources, how we ca pool skills learn from each other and build each other.” Ms Chikungu said.

The Creative Convergence ran from the 29^th of June to the 4^th of July and was held in collaboration between Zambia’s Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts, the Africa Creative Market, the Creative Industries Business Summit and the Kwimbo National Arts Festival.