Bulawayo artists revive the city’s art industry

Indaba Book Café continues to host innovative Poetry on Thursday sessions thanks to Bulawayo artists who have been supportive of the initiative since it begun last year in November.

 The platform created by Tswarelo Mothobi in partnership with Kimba Brookes has rejuvenated the City’s arts industry. It is contributing to a fundamental aspect of the Bulawayo society through poetry and music. “The idea of Poetry on Thursday is to create a space that people can enjoy themselves, experience something that will make them feel better about themselves” says Mothobi. He urged people to get involved, and be inspired to contribute immensely in the society. “We are giving so that people out there learn to give” he added.

Earlier this year, on World Happiness Day. The Indaba Book Café hosted the world renowned Zimbabwean poets John Eppel and Togara Muzanenhamo for the launch of Textures. As part of celebrations of World Poetry Day that was marked on March 21, the Café hosted a poetry session for women called Umuzi Wentombi – House of Woman in June. The session featured Lady Tshawe, Nobuntu, Cynthia, Fortunate, amongst others.

Artists such as Ethnic Rhapsody, Fungai Mombeshora, Luckmore Sibanda, Ntando Moyo, Umkhathi, Haile Hudson, Dad and Son, have perfomed remarkably at the Café. “We do not have a target audience, we have the ethos of acceptance, we believe every artist has something to say, and we provide that space for them to say it “says Brookes.

Many people have perfomed for the first time, poets have been born, and the audience keeps growing every Thursday night at the Indaba Book Café. In spite of  the organizers running the initiative on a zero budget the efforts and space inspire them to one day  reach a level where they can bring in artist from other parts of  Zimbabwe, Africa and globally.

With organic growth the organizers hope and try to embrace diversity. There is no colour or tribal lines, Poetry on Thursday bring everyone together, moulds them to be one, and let the audience celebrate an experience. The idea of the initiative is to expand to film night, music night, trivia night, book reading, and serve ethnic food during events. “The idea is to introduce, re-introduce culture, revamp and cultivate what we can” says Mothobi.