Nanzikambe premieres ‘World 30 – The Aid Machinery’, opens Arts Café
Fresh from three months artistic sojourn in German, Nanzikambe Arts organization crew returns home with a premiere of World 3.0 – The Aid Machinery, a theatrical collaboration with their European counterparts.
The play, which was created and had its first stage performance in German between June and July this year, is another display of artistic and theatrical ingenuity by the two countries’ actors.
Set for a first performance on Sunday before embarking on cross country tour, World 3.0 – The Aid Machinery coincides with the official launch of Nanzikambe’s Arts Café.
The play’s premiere is expected to be preceded by musical performances by Ethno-musician Charles Chavalamangwere Mkanthama and Ben Michael Mankhamba who are set to mesmerize the audience with their guitar plucking inventiveness.
The Arts Café
Yet to be opened this Sunday, the Arts Café is a vibrant centre for artists where artists converge to share information and exchange ideas and interests and have a sense of belonging.
It comprises of performance space with a sitting Area for 400 audience members, a Resource Centre (both virtual and physical), internet and a Snack Bar with fast food, drinks, games and digital satellite television (DSTV) and pool game.
“The Arts Café acts as a meeting hub for artists where they search for arts-related information on the internet and in books, meet to share ideas, exchange knowledge, ideas and information, publicize their shows and productions and even record their productions. It is a vibrant and self-sustaining centre that is able to have resources revolve for growth and sustainability and is run and managed by artists under the umbrella of Nanzikambe Arts,” explained Leah Miseleni, the Arts Cafe Manager.
Miseleni said the arts café was a solution to artists since the country does not have such a facility, leading to massive frustration on the part, mostly, of upcoming artists who need space for purposes of exposure.
“The situation has been made worse by the closure of the French Cultural Centre (FCC) in Blantyre in June 2011 and the closure of the Goethe Institute Liaison Office in Lilongwe in February 2011. It is a known fact, that despite being the former colonial power, Britain has no interest in arts and cultural activities in Malawi.
“Compounded by the fact that the country does not have a Cultural Policy which probably explains why the Malawi Government does not fund Arts and Cultural Associations, artists are in a great state of despair and desperately need The Arts Café for them to have a sense of belonging and ownership,” Miseleni added.
The Arts Café will be run on a commercial basis with artists and members paying subsidized rates for services and enjoying other add-ons.
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