Prominance S.K Khumalo
Zim GBC News
BULAWAYO – The 8th edition of the Bulawayo Arts Awards (BAA) 2025 was overshadowed by a stark and sobering visual: a sea of empty chairs. The ceremony, held at a venue with a capacity for approximately 3,000 people including nominees, saw a glaringly low turnout, with fewer than 600 chairs occupied out of the 2,000 seats available for general attendees. This poor attendance has reignited difficult conversations about the city’s apparent reluctance to support its own creative talent.
Notably absent were key city authorities and prominent business figures whose patronage is often seen as vital for such events. Neither the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution nor a representative from her office was present. The Mayor of Bulawayo was also not in attendance, nor did he send a representative. The ceremony also missed the presence of influential local business leaders, such as the Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce, who commands a vast business empire in the city.
The sparse audience reinforced a persistent and troubling perception that has become normative in the city’s arts scene. When approached for comment on the visibly low numbers, Saimon Mambazo, who was managing the live production, declined to address the issue directly, stating,
“I’m sorry I can’t give you [a comment], I’m the one directing these guys they are live streaming.”
Amid the empty rows, a cohort of dedicated local content creators used their platform to issue a pointed challenge to the absent community. Lilly, a Bulawayo-based content creator and one of the youngest attendees present, questioned the priorities of her peers with raw candor:
“If you are not here where are you? There is no way you can say you can’t be here because of strict parents because as it is I switched off my live location. If you can switch off your location when going to grooves whats so hard by switching off your live location then attend local shows and support local talent?”
Her sentiment was echoed by Vanessa Nobesuthu Ncube, popularly known as Nessa Nobs, a Bulawayo model, brand ambassador, content creator, and upcoming artist.
Highlighting the community’s tendency to favor foreign entertainment, Ncube made a direct appeal:
“Local Is lekker, we need your support.”
In a poignant contrast, South African music legend Freddy Gwala, who was present at the event, offered words of both praise and admonition.
“Bulawayo has vast talent, and it must be supported by its own people,” he stated, underscoring the disconnect between the City’s artistic wealth and the local support it receives.
The disheartening turnout raises critical and unresolved questions: Is the local artistic output failing to resonate, or does the issue stem from a deeper cultural apathy and a preferential bias towards South African artists?
The evidence from this year’s awards suggests that the core challenge is no longer the quality of the work, but a profound disconnect in convincing the Bulawayo public and its leadership to invest their presence in celebrating homegrown excellence.
As the City’s artists continue to strive for recognition, the empty chairs at its premier awards ceremony stand as a silent indictment, leaving stakeholders to grapple with how to mend the fractured relationship between Bulawayo’s vibrant talent and its seemingly indifferent audience.
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