INTWASA ARTS FESTIVAL KoBULAWAYO is one of Zimbabwe’s premiere arts gatherings curating about 50 events within a week. The festival is a multi –discipline arts fiesta that celebrates human diversity and creativity. Running under the theme My Intwasa, Your Intwasa, Our Intwasa the 11th edition of the festival is set for 21 -26 September 2015 at different venues within Bulawayo’s Central Business District. The venues are a walking distance from each other.
Intwasa is held in September. This month is very significant to the people of Bulawayo and Zimbabwe in general. September marks the beginning of spring. Spring is the season of regeneration and rebirth. A season for new beginnings and new life. A season of bloom, happiness and celebration.
Festivals all over the world are curated for different reasons and they serve different purposes. But there is no doubt about their importance in the different communities they are held. Festivals have become the most popular way to promote the arts and connect arts lovers. Most festivals are platforms for celebration while others, like Intwasa, have become critical players in the democratisation of the arts – particularly in Zimbabwe.
Festivals are about good art, good times and creating good memories.
Festival are about creating human dialogue.
Festivals are about connecting - people connecting with the past, present and future, people connecting with different spaces and narratives.
Festivals promote diversity, they bring neighbours into dialogue, they increase creativity, they offer opportunities for civic pride, and they improve our general psychological wellbeing. In short, they bring a bright spark of light to an otherwise daily and monotonous routine of living.
Intwasa Arts Festival is one of the few cultural highlights of the city of Bulawayo. The city is a wonderful place – peaceful, scenic, and rich in songs, stories, heritage and history.
As in previous editions the 11th edition program has workshops, networking platforms, schools programming, platforms for emerging artists and the usual events that have been popular in the last ten editions.