Local artists call for corporate support as 1st edition sets stage for August showcase at Nyangani High School Grounds.

Arts and culture do not grow in isolation. They grow when business leaders decide to invest in the people who keep a community’s stories alive.

‎That is the central message coming out of the 1st edition of the Yasu/Yathu Arts Festival, and it is shaping what comes next. Festival organizers are urging business people to make it a habit to book artists for corporate events, product launches, and community gatherings, even if it is just for a token. The goal is simple, keep artists working, and keep the sector thriving.

Invites to perform at businesses should be a norm, when companies open their doors to local talent, they do more than entertain. They create jobs, build audiences, and put local culture at the center of commerce.

Experience the Grassroots, August 29-30.

‎‎The next opportunity to do precisely that arrives at the end of next month.

‎What: Yasu/Yathu Arts Festival ‎When: 29th to 30th August 2026 ‎Where: Nyangani High School Grounds ‎Why: To experience grassroots talent and promote local.

The day and night festival will bring music, dance, poetry, drama and visual art from the community straight to the stage. It’s built around the idea that the biggest stars often start on school grounds, in church halls, and at community events long before they hit national platforms.

‎Attendees can expect raw performances, new collaborations, and a lineup drawn directly from the area’s creative base. For many of the artists, this will be their first major festival stage.

Why Business Should Lead?‎‎

The arts sector in Zimbabwe has talent to spare, but it lacks consistent paid platforms. The Yasu/Yathu team argues that businesses are in a unique position to change that.

One regular bookings create sustainability. A single corporate gig won’t change an artist’s life, but monthly invites do. Secondly, local branding wins customers. Events that feature local musicians, poets and dancers feel more authentic and connect better with communities. Beyond that culture drives tourism and pride. Festivals like Yasu/Yathu put towns on the map and give young people a reason to stay and create.‎

The call is not for big sponsorships only. It is for a shift in mindset. Book a poet for your staff meeting, have accolades in form of sculptures and have wall paintings or drawings. A mbira player at your client appreciation day. Pay a token. The ripple effect keeps studios open, costumes made, and transport paid.‎

Promote Local, Yasu/Yathu is positioning itself as more than a festival. It is a marketplace where business meets art, and where audiences meet the next generation of performers.

‎On August 29th and 30th, Nyangani High School Grounds will become that meeting place. Come for the music. Stay for the stories. Leave having supported someone from your own community.

For businesses ready to play their part, the festival team is opening doors for partnerships, vendor spaces, and performance bookings leading up to and during the event.

‎The message is clear, if we want the arts sector to thrive, we have to treat artists like the professionals they are. And it starts with an invite.

By Bright Barwe