6th LET THEM ANNUAL ARTS FESTIVAL GOES REGIONAL & ATTRACTS FOREIGN SCHOOLS

Let Them Trust is a registered non government organization since 2010 and has worked with schools championing the performance arts with over 200,000 students participating in its various activities including the annual schools arts festival. It has conducted music, theatre and Ngano (Storytelling) workshops in over 260 schools.

This year’s 6^th edition of Let them annual schools arts festival will be hosting more than 35 schools, including schools from outside Zimbabwe, at the Harare Polytechnic on the 6^th and 7^th of July. For the first time, let them festival has attracted regional schools across national boundaries consisting 2 schools from Botswana through ABOSPA (Association of Botswana Schools Performing Arts).  The Schools from Botswana are: Pekenene CJSS Traditional Dance Group andf Masunga Senior Secondary Choir. The delegation that will be coming will be 40 students and 8 Teachers.

The South African based student from St Katharine’s School identified as, Langelihle Motsi, designed a mascot for the festival that is currently being made into a Giant Puppet. She will be coming through to do the final touches of this mascot with local artists and Let them trust.

The 6^th Let them annual schools arts festival is running under the theme “Elevate”, which will see various local and foreign schools participating in different genres including theatre, music, poetry, fashion, dance and art.

Entertaining stage performances from popular local artists will be taking place as the festival culminates interaction between seasoned artists and school children in the performing arts aged between 5-19 years of age. This year’s edition has a line up that includes:

FRIDAY

– Albert Nyathi (poetry)

– Ba Shupi (music)

– Sniper Storm (music)

– David Mchaka (music)

– Ignatius Mabasa (story telling )

-Music Crossroads Mbira ensemble (music)

-Sahwira group – Masvingo

– Abisha Pamer and DJ Too Bad

– Dj Kent

SATURDAY 

– John Cole ( Music and Dance)

– Ammara Brown (Music)

– Tammy(Music)

– Living Sacrifice (Gospel)

– Zimdancehall Empire

– Jah Signal (Music)

-Ras Pompy (Music) – Borrowdale Brooke Academy

-Spider man (Music) – Speciss College

– Jr Bantan (music)

-Young zee (Music)

-Chitungwiza College (Music)

-Music crossroads (Music, Rhumba)

-Solution (Music) – Churchill

Mbira Competition  

New to the festival will be a Mbira competition for female students only and the winner will receive a personal guitar and 10 Mbira for her school. This was a donation from Ms H Trust.

PREPARATIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING NOW

1. Letters of invitation were sent to over 200 schools that have been submitting their material for final selection to the 35 schools in the various genres.
2. Letters of Invitation to Embassies that could partner in future festivals.
3. A workshop was conducted at ZiFM Stereo that ended with the kids producing this years radio advert that will be on air
4. Eye Screening is currently being conducted on children aged 5-19. This has been made possible by the partnership with The Eye Institute and Optician Christopher Kumora (AKA Chris). 250 children will receive glasses donated to the Let Them Trust from Agora International and Agora Zimbabwe.
5. Change of Venue from ZAS to Harare Polytechnic as this is an institution that also has performing arts as a subject making it a lot more relevant for school children to know where they can further their studies.
6. We have Approached Savannah Arts Trust to judge

Last year’s festival attendance amounted to approximately 6,500 school children and general public over the two-days of the festival. The festival has also been supported by various sponsors and partners who have impacted positively on the success of this annual event over the years which include Ian Printers, CBZ, Rank Stationary, Econet, Stage Con, Dandemutande, Econet, Shumba Maheu, Spar, ZiFM Stereo, Ms H, Eyes For the World, RunIt, The Eye Institute and the Harare Polytechic.

Tickets are pegged at $1 for children and students with Ids; $2 for adults including teachers from non-participating schools and will be sold at the gate. Exhibiting space is also available going for only $100 per day, and companies are encouraged to facilitate payments in time while space still lasts.

Partnership and sponsorship opportunities are still open and ongoing with fluid sponsorship packages this year. These sponsorship packages come with a handful of benefits including massive mileage in branding opportunities, exclusive sales rights, logo inclusion on promos and more.

The trust hopes to host not only schools from neighboring countries but internationally  in the future festivals to come.

“We are encouraging none participating schools students that are interested in the arts to come and watch the performances, meet the artists and learn about Performing art institutions they can join after school as some will be exhibiting namely Music Crossroads, College of Music, Harare Polytechnic, AfriKera Dance Hub and others that may be interested in exhibiting their institutions,” said Chido.

The festival starts at 0800hrs-1700hrs on both days – 6 & July 2018.