NAMA 25 Entries Open as Zimbabwean Creatives Urged to Submit Their Work

Entries for the National Arts Merit Awards are now open, giving Zimbabwean creatives an opportunity to put their work forward for recognition at the prestigious national awards. The National Arts Council of Zimbabwe has urged artists not to assume that their popularity, success or public profile will automatically place them in contention. NACZ CEO Napoleon Nyanhi delivered a direct message to creatives who may be waiting for adjudicators to discover their work without a formal submission. His message is straightforward: artists who want their work considered must take the initiative and submit it. With entries closing on November 30, creatives have a clear deadline to ensure their work enters the awards process.

Nyanhi warned artists against believing that adjudicators will identify outstanding work simply because it has attracted attention during the year. According to the NACZ chief executive, the adjudicators work with material that has been submitted for consideration. “Submit and don’t think that the adjudicators’ team can spot you. They work on what is submitted and please submit,” Nyanhi said. He added, “Don’t assume you might be recognised,” reinforcing the importance of taking responsibility for entering the awards. The message applies to artists across Zimbabwe’s creative industries, regardless of how established or visible they may be.

The warning provides an important reminder about how formal awards processes differ from general public recognition. An artist may have a successful song, a popular film, a well-attended performance or a large following on social media, but those achievements do not automatically amount to an entry for the National Arts Merit Awards. Artists need to ensure that eligible work reaches the relevant awards process before the deadline. This places responsibility on creatives and their teams to understand the entry requirements and submit their work within the specified period. Waiting for organisers or adjudicators to notice a project could therefore mean missing an opportunity for consideration.

The November 30 deadline makes timely preparation particularly important for Zimbabwean artists hoping to enter NAMA 25. Creatives who intend to participate have a limited period in which to prepare and submit their work. Leaving the process until the final days can create unnecessary pressure, particularly for artists who need to gather supporting material or confirm that their submissions meet the applicable requirements. The safest approach for entrants is to treat the deadline as a firm date and complete the process well before November 30. The opening of entries therefore shifts attention from speculation about who might receive recognition to the practical task of getting eligible work into the submission pool.

The awards are also approaching a significant anniversary, with NAMA 25 marking 25 years of recognising Zimbabwean creative talent. Nyanhi confirmed that planning for the milestone edition has already begun, describing the upcoming ceremony as a major occasion because of the 25-year celebration. A quarter-century of the National Arts Merit Awards provides an opportunity to reflect on the development of Zimbabwe’s arts sector and the artists who have contributed to its growth. The anniversary also gives this year’s edition additional significance for creatives seeking national recognition. For the organisers, the milestone creates a larger platform for celebrating the country’s artistic history while continuing to recognise current talent.

The National Arts Merit Awards have traditionally provided a national platform for different areas of Zimbabwe’s creative sector. Musicians, actors, filmmakers, dancers, writers, visual artists, designers and other creative professionals can form part of the broad community represented by the country’s arts industry. Each discipline contributes to Zimbabwe’s cultural identity in different ways, from music and theatre to film, literature, visual art and design. The opening of entries gives creatives across these fields an opportunity to put forward work that they believe merits consideration. It also reinforces the idea that national arts recognition should encompass the diversity of creative work being produced across the country.

Nyanhi also placed the importance of the arts within a wider national context, arguing that creative expression plays a powerful role in how a country presents itself to the world. His statement that “the only way to be recognised as a country is through the arts” reflects his view of the sector’s cultural importance. Zimbabwean music, literature, film, theatre, visual arts and other creative disciplines can provide audiences with insight into the country’s stories, traditions, experiences and contemporary culture. The creative sector can therefore serve as an important part of how Zimbabwe communicates its identity both domestically and internationally. NAMA’s continued recognition of artists forms part of this broader effort to acknowledge the contribution of the arts to national culture.

For individual creatives, the call to submit also places emphasis on personal responsibility within the awards process. A strong reputation can help an artist build an audience, attract opportunities and gain attention, but it does not replace the formal act of entering eligible work for consideration. The same principle can apply to artists who have enjoyed a particularly successful year but have not yet considered entering their work for an award. Popularity and professional recognition may indicate that a creative has made an impact, but the NAMA process still requires artists to put forward their work. The current entry period gives them the opportunity to take that step rather than assume recognition will happen automatically.

The 25th anniversary also creates a moment for Zimbabwe’s creative community to look at how the industry has evolved over the years. Artists today operate in an environment shaped by streaming platforms, social media, digital production, international audiences and new forms of creative distribution. These changes have expanded the ways Zimbabwean artists can create and reach audiences, while also producing new challenges around visibility and recognition. A national awards platform such as NAMA provides a space where work from different creative backgrounds can be formally considered within Zimbabwe’s arts landscape. The milestone edition can therefore connect the history of the awards with the changing realities faced by today’s creatives.

As the November 30 deadline approaches, Zimbabwean artists have a clear message from the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe: do not assume that your work will be discovered automatically. The NAMA 25 entry process gives musicians, filmmakers, actors, writers, dancers, visual artists, designers and other creatives the opportunity to put their work forward for consideration. The upcoming edition carries added significance because it marks 25 years of the National Arts Merit Awards and provides an opportunity to celebrate both the history and continuing development of Zimbabwe’s creative sector. For artists who believe their work deserves recognition, the practical starting point is submission rather than expectation. With planning already underway for the anniversary edition, the November 30 deadline represents an important date for Zimbabwean creatives who want their work to be part of NAMA 25.