What are the arts doing for Africa?

Every culture has some form of artistic expression, whether it is expressed as entertainment to lighten the vagaries of life or as commercial craft to make ends meet. It is therefore not entirely a foreign concept for the African to indulge himself in some form of art, even if it means partaking in some formally organized arts festival. The question therefore is not whether "Africa needs the arts", it's really what sort of a person would ask such a naive question? The African like most other peoples has treasured his art since way before the arrival of the foreigners in his land. His art is an intricate part of who he is!! ...Having grown up listening to the BBC under a tree in my village and treasuring the varitable insight of its content I shudder to think this is a question posed by of its correspondents. How the standards have fallen!

Spending the money on infrastructure and food for the poor might help alleviate the needs of the country and the poor in the short-run but wil not eradicate it. In the same way as it is necessary to spend money holding elaborate conferences and seminars the result of which are always shelved, it is important to hold cultural events which might just as sports does sometimes unite the country and help alleviate the constant bickering, bring peace to Zimbabwians and its subsequent benefits. God knows they need that.

Growing up in Zimbabwe, I attended HIFA in 2007 and can still remember how it stirred the "artsy" side of me and also helped me to hold artists in new-found, higher regard, even though such feelings are no longer as strong because of my lack of constant exposure to arts.

Does Africa needs arts? Yes - arts still capture and represent African culture better than any other endeavor, and with the ascent of a Westernized and more technology-oriented Africa, art disciplines are exactly what we need to at least conserve African identity and traditional values.

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Just before HIFA last year, We interviewed a Zimbabwean film director, Trevor Chidzodzo. We asked him: "What about if somebody said: 'People don’t have food, they don’t have medicine and art is not really a priority. What would you say to somebody who said that to you?' "
His response: "I think those people, they are living in the dark ages. Because for a nation, for a people, to get awakened, it is the work of an artist. It is the artist who inspires that nation. Because the artist is a voice – his voice or her voice is reflective of what a people is experiencing."

What a silly question!!!!!

Need? No, of course not BBC. Just like the suffering people in the UK do NOT need council tax rises, general tax rises, benefit cuts, VAT rises and MP salary rises. But it's still being done. What kind of rubbish question is this?? As for pressing issues, no country is perfect (just look at your own backyard here in the UK). You call yourself the first world but the rest of europe laughs at you (rightfully so - seeing that you are at least 20 years behind in every aspect of development). Zim is trying to give the people something they can enjoy and you put it up for debate... Get real!

Art and creativity industries are untapped in Africa. Creative economy is said to be the fastest growing in the world at an average of 14% between 2002 and 2008. It has the potential to create wealth, job opportunities especially for young people, promoting democracy and addressing social exclusion
In the USA the sector contributes to 11.2% of the country’s GDP, it accounts for 8.9% of the jobs in the market. The South African Government has noticed the potential of the industry and is encouraging artists by offering subsides.
African artists should start using wider platforms through which creative artists use to push their artwork. Technology is changing how we live each and every day and new platforms are likely to inspire growth and enable artists to fight for the globe piece cake.
I will join you on twitter at 16:00 and enjoy you stay.

What is civilisation if not a collection of art, culture, politics and history?

The Zimbabwean people need everything in life to make themselves happy too with all halahala doing on in their country.I don't know whether arts would make a great deal impact on their problems,but what I do know for sure is,the arts festival would make them feel good socially.Remember,money does not buy happiness so the Zimbabweans are taking it one day at a time.

I was a university student living in a hostel across from the park when HIFA started. The country had begun its long descent by then, and we were hungry and often in the dark at night as the lights went out. So we would line up on the balcony every night during HIFA, and sing and dance along ,and watch the fireworks. It gave us happiness, and hope, which is by far the most valuable thing it is possible to give a 19 year old in a country going nowhere.

What a silly question from a respected institution like BBC. For me Art is associated with humanity, it doesn't follow race, economic status or other parameter to express itself. Art is African as well as European, Asian,American etc. It has the same value/importance as it does have for any other human race on the planet. So, please don't post such silly questions again on your web because such action will deteriorate the value of your organization.

Point of correction, the government of Zimbabwe does not sponsor HIFA. Nevertheless to talk about money with relevance to amenities is being misguided. The heavily indebted country on earth the US has been spending close to half a billion a day in a very unnecessary war in Libya and this is correct with the likes of Britain and such has never been given publicity as you do with Zimbabwean issues. Zimbabwe may not have the same health facilities as the US/UK but it’s in the public domain that the NHS in Britain is downsizing thereby exposing the British masses in danger and leaving them vulnerable. The same countries milky the poor by giving them aid in none critical areas instead of trade and we have seen Health sectors in US/UK being propped up by trained labor force from Zimbabwe and other African countries . Do HIFA take away nurses and doctors from these poor people who need such resources, but Britain and US does. HIFA in Harare boost tourism which has emerged as a vital component of economic growth in Zimbabwe and does not bring misery the same way the wars in Afghanistan, Libya etc. do. I think before you publish such incorrect perceptions, you ought to get the facts right. Instead of improving the world image, BBC has been siding and collaborating with the perpetrators of evil in the mold of UK/US to foster sufferings to the world population. So does it mean now that Zimbabweans should not have social life cause there poor people in Zimbabwe. Every country has poor people unless the BBC is singing for their supper. It’s the same BBC that peddled lies about crime statistics in South Africa towards the world cup as if the jails in UK are filled up with Africans.