Stanbic Bank: Reviving Visual Arts Corporate Sponsorship

Zimbabwe Fri 15-10-2010

Stanbic Bank: Reviving Visual Arts Corporate Sponsorship
Press Release

Such is the creative nature of art that in every work produced, a story is told, lessons are learnt and history is made. In years gone by, the corporate community made a significant contribution to the development and promotion of the visual arts industry.

^{Queing for bread by Itai Vangani}

With the upturn of Zimbabwe’s economy, the sleeping giants who are the forbearers of Zimbabwe’s visual arts industry have woken up and reclaimed their position through reviving an industry that has seen the worst of Zimbabwe’s economic woes.

Following its call to the corporate and funding communities in the first quarter of 2010, the National Gallery of Zimbabwe has received some positive feedback to the re-engagement of funding and Stanbic Bank will be hosting a corporate sponsored exhibition entitled the Stanbic Bank Art Exhibition which opens on the 16th to 24th of October 2010 at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Harare.

The week long exhibition will showcase paintings, sculptures that apply under the theme Meeting Point. The National Gallery of Zimbabwe’s curator Raphael Chikukwa curated the exhibition. He has been out and about tracking down both emerging and established artists for this exhibition.

In previous years, the National Gallery of Zimbabwe maintained strong business ties with Stanbic Bank, which has regularly exhibited works from the National Gallery’s permanent collection at its premises and has funded a number of exhibitions that brought Zimbabwe’s contemporary art greats to the heights they scale today.

Investment in art has become a lucrative and vital avenue through which organizations have made positive social contributions to their communities; more so, it has been associated with a certain level of excellence and esteem, high-mindedness and civic responsibility.

Today’s young Zimbabwean artists have set new standards for themselves showing exceptional talent, magnitude, creativity and skill in their works. These qualities have opened doors for growth, development and excellence internationally.

Twelve local emerging contemporary artists and four established artists will have their works on display, each representing the moment in time when two things meet or come together orchestrating new beginnings, new theories and discoveries. This also presents a platform for artists and the corporate world to converge and interact at a more personal level.

The artists include up and coming artist such as Tafadzwa Gwetai (Bulawayo), David Chinyama, Wallen Mapondera, Wycliff Mungofa, Thembelizhe Adams (Bulwaayo), Virginia Chihota, Ashledgh Breda (Masvingo) and Calvin Chimutuwa. The three best works from the exhibit will be awarded prizes. The exhibition will also feature works by established artists like, Gillian Rosselli, Margaret Wallace, John Kotze, and Patrick Mavros Jr..

As one of the leading banks in Zimbabwe, Stanbic Bank would like to contribute to its social responsibility role by motivating and promoting local artists. This exhibition will provide a platform for Stanbic Bank’s top clients to engage and invest in the arts making the “Meeting Point” much easier to understand when kept in mind the extent to which art determines outcome in today’s marketplace.

It is vital to note that a community which is artistic has a multiplier effect not only on revenues and jobs but also on the quality of living standards and the social fabric. Such an initiative is an eye opener to the corporate sector to play a part in supporting and making contemporary art and cultural heritage an integral part of their day to day businesses for greater awareness.

It is enlightening to realize that artists produce their works which the corporate sector acknowledges. These artists’ works will be used as points of references in the future to tell Zimbabwe’s stories as they represent today’s society, its values and communicate its needs. The level of talent shown through the works of these artists has grown from strength to strength and is the pride of the country’s artistic heritage which is being supported by Stanbic Bank.

Posted By: Maggie Otieno

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Your Comments

wagidoso : i am a fine artist and would love to get a sponsor too.thanks alot

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