GOVERNMENT is reportedly planning to transform Tengenenge Arts Gallery in Guruve into a tourist resort because of its historical significance and the pivotal role it has played in promoting the development of the arts sector.
This was revealed by National Arts Gallery of Zimbabwe director Raphael Chikukwa during a stakeholder consultative meeting in Harare on Monday.
Founded in 1966 by the now late Thomas Blomefield, the centre has produced some of the country's prominent artists.
Dickson Dickson, secretary for the Tengenenge Arts Gallery in Guruve hailed government plans to transform the centre - which houses 75 sculptures - into a tourist attraction.
The stakeholders' meeting discussed various other issues with artists being given an opportunity to air their views on how they wanted the National Arts Gallery to be run for the benefit of all.
Veronica Muchemwa, deputy director and curator of the National Arts Gallery of Zimbabwe said: “Through this process we need to identify key stakeholders and their roles: We'll map out the various stakeholders involved in this institution, their specific roles, and their level of involvement. We will devise ways to forge a mutually beneficial relationship between the stakeholders and the institution. This will help us establish clear lines of communication and collaboration."
“In addition to that we need to establish communication channels that determine the most effective communication channels for sharing information, updates, and decision-making. This will ensure timely and efficient communication. We need to identify potential risks and challenges. We'll proactively identify potential risks and challenges that may impact the NGZ's success. By addressing these upfront, we can develop mitigation strategies to minimize their impact,” said Muchemwa.
The meeting applauded the government for enabling nine artists to travel to the La Viennese Biennial in ltaly. Artists were encouraged to acquaint themselves with the latest social media marketing tools to reach wider audiences.