By JULIUS PHIRI –

THE national executive committee (NEC) of the National Theatre Arts Association of Zambia (NATAAZ) has rescheduled the much anticipated National Jubilee Senior Theatre Festival that was scheduled to take place in October last month.
NATAAZ national publicity secretary John Kapesa said the festival is now rescheduled for December 8 to 20, 2014.
“The resolutions were made on November 8, at The Long Acres Lodge.
This was due untimely demise of President Michael Sata including a huge deficit in the budget,” he said.
Kapesa said NEC was however, determined and confident that the deficit would be met and the festival would go ahead as envisioned.
“NATAAZ remains confident that the Ministry of Tourism and Arts through its Department of Culture and the National Arts Council will come to the aid of the arts. In this vain, like before, NATAAZ remains indebted to the ministry and NAC for the unwavering support that has
been rendered to the association over the years,” he said.
Kapesa said NATAAZ raises its revenue from annual subscriptions and affiliation fees from groups and individual.
However, as at November 8, only three groups were fully paid up and only a handful was fully paid up individual members.
He said this clearly means that the financial status of the association was greatly
affected.
He said groups and members that have not yet paid affiliation and subscription fees were encouraged to do so immediately, failure to which their slot in the festival would be offered to other groups that would have paid.
“Groups that have not yet paid affiliation fees have up to December 11, to do so failure to which they would not be allowed to participate in any NATAAZ activity,” he said.
He said individual members that have not paid annual subscription of K50 for the year 2014 would not be allowed to take part in any NATAAZ activity.
A meeting has been booked to be held with Ministry of Tourism and Arts and the National Arts Council to revisit the seemingly sour relations with NATAAZ.
He said groups should pay affiliation, participation and individual membership fees latest by 5th December 2014 “Confirmation of participation by groups should be done before November 20, to facilitate the programme of performances,” he said.
The venue still remains Lusaka Play House.
He said 17 groups have shown willingness to attend the festivals.
Some of the groups expected includes NAPSA theatre Club, Bantu Theatre Club, Matero Theatre club, Africa Directions, Nkwazi Theatre Club, Tapheza Theatre Club,
Khomo Lathu, Gracious Dzeko Memorial Theatre Nkana – Kitwe Arts Society, Chingola Arts Society and Mufulira Arts Council are also on the list.
Others are Luanshya Municipal Council Theatre, Nakonde Theatre Club, Mwansabombwe Arts Theatre Ensemble, Mansa Theatre, Kasama Arts Theatre and Premier Arts.