Zimbabwe HIFA Festival: Famous arts festival showcases regional and international acts

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To Zimbabwe now, and the curtain has come down on the Harare International Festival of the Arts. The annual event is ranked among the top ten festivals on the continent. CGTN's Farai Mwakutuya went along to see what it's all about.

The once a year jamboree of theatre, dance, music, spoken word and visual arts, brought Harare alive for the past six days.

It showcased regional and international acts that were as diverse as the audiences that turned up in large numbers. It was also massive opportunity for local artistes who are basking in the spotlight of new found positivity towards their country.

MARIA WILSON, DIRECTOR HIFA "This celebration not only of arts, not only of the fact that it's the largest festival in the world of Zimbabwean artistes. At least a thousand Zimbabwean artistes participating in six days in this festival held in the capital of a country that everybody should be sitting up and looking at and thinking my goodness that is an amazing group of people."

But there's more to the Harare International Festival of the Arts or HIFA than just performances. It's also a platform for learning.

MUNYA TAPS MUSIC LECTURER "There has been new programmes that have been introduced. I was in the director's workshop and they are making it better and better, each and every year."

And also an opportunity for entrepreneurs.

CHIPO MAGEDE RECYCLED FURNITURE MAKER "The response to my art to my work has been very good and people have been loving the work that I do and a lot of people want to order and I have actually realized there aren't many people doing the kind of work I am doing."

With such a wide array of acts, it was all too much to take for some.

"I don't think I am looking forward to anything else. The show that I have just attended was extra good."

Throughout years of hardships, HIFA has had therapeutic effect, uniting Zimbabweans in art and giving them something to smile about.

FARAI MWAKUTUYA HARARE, ZIMBABWE The burdens were a bit lighter this year, but got a further lift thanks to the performances. Now revellers will have to find something else to occupy them till next year when they can get another dose. FM, CGTN, H, Z.