WORD that newly allotted Tourism and Arts Minister Jean Kapata was visiting the Copperbelt last Tuesday excitingly swept the copper province as good news.
Good news without doubt because, like her forerunner Sylvia Masebo, Kapata needs to travel and hear the strengths of the artists and similarly get their challenges so that her ministry can address itself with the correct issues.
Now that the minister’s Copperbelt programme could not be confirmed and take place, I want to attempt to bring out some of the salient issues.
I mean issues that most likely could have been brought out and discussed during the meeting initially set for one of the two venues – Kitwe Little Theatre or Kamenza Theatre in Chililabombwe.
To begin with; the conception of the Arts ministry even though shared with tourism is a milestone and landmark by the Patriotic Front Government, perhaps I should exclusively point out that President Michael Sata merits a huge pat on the back because artists in Zambia have struggled for ages without a close-related ministry as today, though still, artists need a wholesome ministry for the arts.
Artists have before been shunted from the ministries of Education and Culture, Community, Traditional Chiefs and the like, so well done Sata.
Now back to the minister; by the way I do not want to say this is an open letter to the minister, but with Kapata, I want to share some insights perhaps she can pick out something.
I want to tell the minister that running the arts has been punctuated with monstrous matters vastly and communally shared out from bad administration to lack of public recognition and financial support.
Tenuously controlled by the National Arts Council (NAC), Minister Kapata should know that the arts association encompasses all art groups from fine painters to performers in theatre, music, dance and poetry.
There are designers, basket makers, carvers and promoters too.
And that the seven-member arts associations make up the NAC board alongside line ministry appointees.
The national arts bodies are the National Theatre Arts Association of Zambia (NATAAZ), the Zambia Association of Musicians (ZAM), the Zambia Folk Dance and Music Society (ZAFODAMUS), the Zambia Women Writers Association (ZAWWA), the Zambia Adjudicators’ Panel (ZAP), the Visual Arts Council (VAC) and the National Media Association (NAMA).
Minister Kapata, these arts relationships need growth; spiraling and strengthening with good administrative skills and officers though I am conscious the associations are all independently run with own constitutions; it is lack of administrative  and aptitude proficiency that has largely contributed to the discrediting of most of them.
There is so much infighting in the arts associations such that NAC is seemingly moribund and at its death’s door.
Away from the managerial hullabaloos of the arts fraternity, local artists need not only working together, but networking and supporting one another.
Theatre, as an industry can flourish, prosper and burgeon into a noteworthy industry if government paid attention to refurbishing the theatre houses, and granted some money for the production of only three plays each year in existing theatre infrastructures.
In my unassuming view, theatre clubs do not need to produce 10 plays in a year to win sympathy and support as notable groups; Two to three plays annually is enough so that wherewithal and resources can be rallied in only these three for good publicity, costume and stage set.
Projects such as workshops, infrastructure reconstruction and rehabilitation as the case may be at Venus theatre in Kabwe and Kamenza theatre in Chililabombwe are always irritating as government become visible as though they have no ideas.
Theatre in Zambia faces unprecedented challenges, and these that I have tabulated, are only a small fraction.
Essentially, theatre performers are clinically sick as audiences are not supportive in cases where plays are performed.
We need the administrative office of the local District Commissioners, Mayors and Councillors, head teachers and pupils watching these plays so that they can learn one or two things from there.
Look at the Lusaka’s Africa Directions play entitled The Will by Eric Kasomo.
The fairytale’s hub is an uncle who through his avarice usurps authority over the three-orphaned offspring leaving them disadvantaged when their rich parents die.
The play comes to a height when the landlord’s empathetic wife rediscovers the will and engages her lawyer to retrieve the documents with which the orphans habitably stabilise with following their once hellish-life.
Councillors anywhere in Zambia and other parts of Africa can find The Will adaptable to their own communities, and there are numerous plays that are informative, educative and entertaining despite the plays’ structural weaknesses.
It is a well known fact that in Zambia few people leave a will to recount their legacy.
Even generally learned people often are caught up in this web – the idea is eventually, audiences can roundly learn from the plays.
I further know of plays with suited themes and topical concepts that have predisposed significance and storylines such as Kabwe Arts Theatre’s play Child of Dust written by John Ntulisha.
For whatever cause, Minister Kapata did not confirm her visit to the Copperbelt where artists were impatiently pleased to share notes with her.
I have in mind Bob Nkosha, who confessed he was putting off his trip to Lusaka over the same period to attend the minister’s meeting.
Perhaps Kapata should reschedule her visit to the Copperbelt.
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As you read this column, the Mwansabombwe theatre festival has entered the second day and ends tomorrow, Monday.
Isaac Kalumba, who director for the Mwansabombwe festival admitted before the festival during the week that there has been overwhelming response in Mwansabombwe with the local residents and participants expectantly looking forward to the events.
Theatre groups invited have included Matero, NAPSA, Africa Directions, Bantu, Green Buffaloes and Mufulira Arts Council. Others are Zaninge theatre, Nkana-Kitwe Arts Society and Kabwe Arts Theatre.
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The Yezi Arts-organised April International Theatre Festival begins on Wednesday, 23 April at Lusaka Playhouse and ends on Saturday 26 April with a lineup of thrilling and stirring dramas with three visiting theatre groups from Botswana, Malawi and Zimbabwe.
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Meantime, in Kabwe, Central Province, Friday, 25 April, the department for cultural services is hosting a rescheduled celebration to mark World Theatre Day.
According to Irene Shalupa-Ngoma, who happens to be the publicity secretary for the  organising committee the event takes place at the Civic Centre in town with a number of performances lined up from 09.00 to 16.30 hours with several entertainment activities lined up.
Led by the veteran guitarist Dorenzy Kabwe live band Shalawambe, there will be the Super Sound band, Nalikwanda traditional dance troupe and Tasiyana traditional dance, while poetry will be recited by Kabwe Arts and Nkosi theatre clubs.
With Central Province Permanent Secretary Ediwich Mutale as guest of honor, Irene explained that the delay was necessitated by the lack of funds to host the event on the actual world Theatre Day which is worldwide and annually celebrated on March 27.
This year in Zambia World Theatre Day was celebrated in Chililabombwe with a theme to revive Kamenza theatre.
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Well, well, I opted to attend the Copperbelt Schools Performing Arts festival in Kalulushi, and today being the second day we are expecting fireworks of performances. More about the festival next week.
John.kapesa818@yahoo.co.uk – 0955-0967-0977-710975