Ngoma iNgungu Cultural Arts Center
Ngoma Ingungu Cultural Arts Center is a hub for Creatives founded by Othnell Mangoma Moyo and his response to the lack of dedicated work space for artists practicing ancient Zimbabwean Artforms. Located in the Munyawiri area, Chigiji Road, in Domboshava, Goromonzi District of Zimbabwe, a 40 km drive north from the Capital City Harare, the Center is a space for learning, gathering, exchange and transmission of traditional Art forms to the younger generation, by provision of intergenerational and peer to peer mentorship for Artists and young Creatives. The center also provides a conducive environment for rehearsals, residencies, exhibitions and performances. Many creatives will also find it favorable for building traditional musical instruments and the vast information gathered over the years by various preservers of culture.
As a Creative, Othnell struggled to find rehearsal spaces or spaces to fully explore his art, which are very scarce around Harare and in Zimbabwe in general. He noticed that the practice of rehearsals and full artistic exploration was suffering due to lack of conducive spaces, so he thought of giving back to the community with a space like Amakhosi Theater in Bulawayo, which trained and supported him at the launch of his career. So when he had the opportunity in 2021, he bought land and started envisioning a space were creatives from different genres gather to explore, learn, share and pass their knowledge on to the younger generations.
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The center also provides a conducive environment for rehearsals, residencies, exhibitions, performances, festivals and camps for locals as well as international artists and guests. It aims to also provide structures for building traditional musical instruments and hold a vast collection of instruments and related information, gathered over the years by various preservers of culture. Further, it is planned to hold a fully equipped Sound Studio for recordings.
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Beyond its purpose of being a home to Artists and Creatives, the center aims to have a social function and be a vehicle to curb drug abuse by providing after school activities and offering various training programs ranging from Performing Arts (such as Music, Dance, Theatre, Instrument Building, Research and Documentation) to Creative Entrepreneurship.
Human resources right through the project cycle will be provided by locals, hence contributing to the emancipation and economic growth of the local society.
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Ngoma iNgungu Cultural Arts Center is envisioned as a hive of creative activity, which will not only resuscitate the Arts sector but equally provide quality, well researched and documented Zimbabwean artforms.
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