As per tradition, the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe issued its final call for submission of entries for the 2016 National Art Merit Awards (NAMA) (deadline being November 30) but for the first time they have unveiled the team involved in monitoring artists and their works.
Over the years, NACZ has always avoided revealing the names of these individuals, instead just saying, “…we work with a team of professionals…” A statement that causes many to wonder about the authenticity of the selection process, leading to the awards being marred by a controversial reviews.
In a statement the NACZ said, “NACZ appointed individual and institutional monitors who have been monitoring the work of excelling artists throughout the year and are still monitoring it until November 30. The monitors are professional individuals with an in-depth knowledge of the arts as well as arts organisations of repute and these are;
15TH NAMA INDIVIDUAL MONITORS
CATEGORY |
INDIVIDUAL |
Literary arts |
Davison Maruziva |
Spoken Word |
Chirikure Chirikure |
Theatre |
Nehemia Chivandikwa |
Visual Arts |
Stephen Garan’anga |
Dance |
Brian Geza |
Film and Television |
Rumbi Katedza |
Media |
Matthew Takaona |
Music |
Mono Mukundu |
NACZ also revealed monitors at institutional level which include : Zimbabwe International Film Festival Trust, Zimbabwe Filmmakers Association, Zimbabwe International Book Fair, Zimbabwe Women Writers, Zimbabwe Music Rights Association, and Zimbabwe Musicians Union amongst many others.