HIFA Announces 2015 Theme

With six months to go before the forthcoming 16th edition of the Harare International Festival of the Arts (Hifa), the festival’s organisers have exclusively revealed the theme for this year’s fete to NewsDay.
 
The 2015 country’s premier arts showcase will run from April 28 to May 3 under the theme Articulate.
In an exclusive interview with NewsDay on November 28, Hifa artistic director Manuel Bagorro said the forthcoming fiesta would provide an opportunity for artistes, partners and audiences to think creatively, to express ideas clearly, and to communicate a powerful artistic vision.
“This is always an extremely exciting time for us when we announce the theme. It means we are well on our way on the home stretch,” Bagorro said.
“The arts can articulate the best aspects of who we are as individuals, as productive and imaginative communities, and as a vital, multi-dimensional nation. We are our words, so we speak; we are our ideas, so we think; we are our communal commitment to being expressive, so we all articulate.”
Bagorro, who is also the festival’s founder, said preparations for the annual fête are at an advanced stage with the first batch of programming details scheduled to be presented to the public in the next few weeks after necessary statutory clearances have been completed.
“The programme itself is also looking very exciting and making it available early to the public, after all the shows have received statutory paperwork, of course, will allow them to better appreciate and enjoy the programme” Bagorro said.
Hifa is a six-day annual festival and workshop programme held in various venues in the capital showcasing the very best of local, regional and international arts and culture in a comprehensive festival programme of theatre, dance, music, fashion, street performances and spoken word.
The trust is made up of corporate governance and arts and culture experts chaired by former Harare mayor Muchadeyi Masunda with a board of trustees including Stephen Chifunyise, Liz Chitiga, Nancy Guzha, Simon Hammond, James Mushore, George Mutendadzamera and Pat Rooney.
According to the festival organisers, last year’s edition of the festival had 1 006 Zimbabwean artists and 239 artistes from outside the country performing at the event.
Hifa has been rated as one of the top 10 festivals in the world in a survey carried by CNN.