Harare International Festival of the Arts cancels 2019 edition

HIFA said the decision to cancel the 2019 edition came as a result of socio-economic challenges in the country.

“HIFA will not stage the event in 2019 and will focus on new projects leading up to a major festival in 2020,” it said. “The decision has been taken after much thought, soul searching and discussion. Zimbabwe is dealing with many important issues both social and economic.

"In this context, the festival cannot responsibly commit to presenting a feasible and viable event this year of the same quality and impact that HIFA is known for.”

The organisation will use the time to work on school projects to broaden and deepen its contribution to arts and cultural development in Zimbabwe. “Showcasing the artistic outcomes of our planned new school programmes will be one facet of the next festival from 28 April to 3 May 2020,” HIFA said.

Despite the cancelation, HIFA said it would continue to work throughout the year on initiatives that “build capacity within the local arts community, use arts and culture to explore social and community issues and assist companies to realise their marketing and PR potential through creative thinking”.

This marks the second time the organisers have cancelled the event. In 2015, festival founder Manuel Bagoro said the decision to hold off the 2016 edition of the event was due to a planned revamp.

“We have decided to embark on a mission of developing local artists in different ways, so we have introduced a new programming set that is going to sustain the festival in 2017,” Bagoro said in 2015. “By combining our key strengths in line with our mission, we came out with five new programmes, each serving a different purpose, which will sustain the festival in the next 18 months. A lot of work is involved during the 18 months and this is an employment opportunity for many.”

About HIFA

HIFA is arguably Zimbabwe’s biggest arts initiative. The festival strives for local, regional and international recognition of Zimbabwe’s cultural diversity and capacity to achieve a high standard of artistic presentation. It is widely acknowledged as one of the best arts and culture initiatives on the continent, bringing together corporate investors, embassies, donors, local and visiting artists, fans and the media.