Ilima Records

The Right Stage for the Right Sound:

By Josh Nyapimbi

Some years ago, I found myself in a significant disagreement with the late Yvonne Vera when she was the director of the National Gallery in Bulawayo. At the time, I had secured a booking of the gallery garden for my theatre play during her absence. Upon her return, she was displeased with the decision that had been made in her absence. She argued strongly that the gallery was not a live performance venue, maintaining that hosting such an event posed a risk to the gallery’s permanent collection.

I pushed back against her authority and eventually succeeded in putting on the show. That production broke the gallery tradition, a precedent that remains to this day. However, as time has passed, whether consciously or unconsciously, I have found myself becoming a proponent of the very principles the late Vera raised regarding the suitability of venues for specific art forms.

The Integrity of the Space:

The core of my past conflict with Yvonne Vera was about the purpose of a space. She viewed the National Gallery as a sanctuary for visual art, where the atmosphere and physical environment were tailored to the preservation and quiet contemplation of paintings and sculptures. Introducing the bustle and infrastructure of a theatre production was, in her view, a violation of that sanctuary.

While I won the battle to use the garden, I have since developed a deeper appreciation for her stance. It is not merely about being protective or elitist. It is about recognising that different art forms require different environments to thrive. Just as a library may not be the best place for a rock concert, a space designed for visual art may not be ideal for the high energy and physical demands of live theatre or dance. The integrity of a venue contributes to the integrity of the art it houses.

The Problem with Theatres as Concert Halls:

This leads me to a pressing issue regarding the current use of performance spaces in Zimbabwe. Theatres in Zimbabwe, specifically Reps Theatre and Bulawayo Theatre, are simply not cut out for music concerts. These venues were designed and built for the presentation of dramatic arts, where the audience sits in quiet observation, absorbed in the dialogue and movement on stage.

They were not designed for the high decibels, the standing crowds, and the energetic movement that define a music concert. There is no room to dance. The seating is fixed and restrictive, which stifles the very vibe that makes live music exciting. When audiences are forced to remain seated in rows during a high energy performance, it creates a disconnect between the artist and the crowd.

Financial and Structural Fallout:

Beyond the atmosphere, there is a practical and destructive element to consider. Music concerts in traditional theatres often result in damage to seats. The excitement of the show naturally leads patrons to stand on chairs, dance in the aisles, or treat the venue with less reverence than they would a play. The aftermath is often a trail of broken fixtures and worn out upholstery.

The money generated from such hires is frequently insufficient to manage the restoration of damaged seats to their original and durable state. It becomes a cycle of degradation where the venue slowly loses its grandeur and functionality. The short term financial gain of booking a concert is often outweighed by the long term cost of repairs and the decline of the theatre’s quality.

Questioning the Business Logic:

There is also a matter of ambition and scale for the artists themselves. I do not see the business logic of an artist who has the ambition of filling up the Harare International Conference Centre coming to Bulawayo to perform in a closed venue of fewer than 500 people. It makes little sense for an act with the potential to draw thousands to confine themselves to a space that limits their reach and their revenue.

An artist capable of playing at the HICC needs a venue in Bulawayo that matches that capacity and energy. Squeezing a large fan base into a small theatre does a disservice to the fans who cannot get tickets and to the artist whose earnings are capped by the size of the room. It creates a bottleneck in the market where supply and demand are misaligned due to a lack of appropriate infrastructure.

A Call for Suitable Venues:

It is time for stakeholders in the arts and culture sector to rethink how we utilise our existing spaces and prioritise the development of new ones. We must stop trying to fit square pegs into round holes. Theatres must be protected and maintained for the performing arts they were built to host, while investors and city planners need to step up to create dedicated, large scale music venues in Bulawayo and elsewhere.

Call to Action:

We urge artists, event organisers, and city councils to engage in a dialogue about the future of our entertainment infrastructure. Let us stop damaging our historic theatres and start building the modern, spacious concert venues that Bulawayo and other major cities deserve. Support the preservation of our theatres by using them for their intended purpose, and demand the development of proper spaces for live music.

COMPLEMENTARY OR CONTRADICTORY? Navigating AI in Music

By Josh Nyapimbi

The Industry Divide:

The global music industry is split on how to handle artificial intelligence. Spotify and Universal Music Group (UMG) have struck a landmark deal to monetise AI, allowing fans to create authorised remixes via a paid add-on. This model turns AI into a revenue stream while compensating rights holders. Conversely, YouTube has adopted a defensive stance, initiating a sweeping purge of AI content to protect copyright integrity and artist brands.

Implications for Zimbabwe:

This divergence creates a dilemma for Zimbabwe’s largely informal creative sector. While many local artists rely on YouTube for exposure, the platform's strict AI purge risks stifling the viral creativity that emerging acts need. Conversely, while Spotify’s model offers potential new income, it requires formal copyright structures and licensing agreements that are currently lacking in Zimbabwe’s informal market.

Global Advocacy & The 2005 Convention
These market tensions highlight the urgent need for robust policy. International creative civil society organisations, including Nhimbe Trust, are advocating for the revision of UNESCO’s 2005 Convention Operational Guidelines. The goal is to ensure the digital environment fosters human creativity rather than merely incentivising AI adoption. Key recommendations include:

Enforce Copyright (ART Principles): The use of protected works in AI must be subject to prior Authorisation, fair Remuneration, and Transparency regarding data use and value generation.

Reject a "Right to Use AI": Provisions suggesting a "right to use AI" in the name of artistic freedom should be removed, as they could pressure artists to adopt tools against their will.

Regulate LLMs & Bias: Guidelines should not support the development of Large Language Models (LLMs) by monopolistic tech giants without adequate safeguards to prevent cultural homogenisation.

Protect Creative Professions: Explicitly prevent guidelines that encourage replacing human professionals - such as translators and dubbing artists - with generative AI.

Call to Action

To balance innovation with the protection of human artistry, the following stakeholders must act:

Artists & Representative Orgs: Advocate for strong copyright protections and fair compensation models.

UNESCO & Governments: Implement and enforce guidelines that prioritise human creators and regulate AI development.

Record Labels: Create fair licensing frameworks that legitimise AI use without exploiting artists.

AI Tech Companies: Commit to transparency and respect for intellectual property rights.

Funders & Investors: Prioritise funding for AI ventures that demonstrate ethical data sourcing and consent, specifically those that augment human artists rather than replacing them.

Consumers: Support ethical AI usage and value authentic human creativity.

The 4.7 Billion View Wake Up Call: What YouTube’s AI Purge Means for Zimbabwean Creatives - By Josh Nyapimbi

For many Zimbabwean creatives, Artificial Intelligence tools were an economic lifeline. In a market constrained by limited funding and high data costs, AI video generation promised the ability to produce global standard content with a laptop and a stable internet connection.

However, a recent shift by YouTube has shocked this emerging ecosystem. The platform removed a network of AI generated channels amassing over 4.7 billion views, marking one of the largest crackdowns on automated content in history.

Following this deletion, Zimbabwean creators who relied on AI production must reassess their strategies. The era of mass produced AI content is ending, bringing nuanced implications for the local creative industry.

The End of Quantity Over Quality:

YouTube’s purge targets spam and algorithm manipulation. The removed channels were mass producing videos at an inhuman scale, prioritising volume over value.

For Zimbabwean creatives who adopted the churn model of uploading daily faceless, AI generated videos to trigger the algorithm, this is a warning. The platform’s tolerance for low effort content has expired.

This crackdown signals a return to engagement fundamentals. Content relying solely on novelty or keyword stuffing is at risk of demonetisation or removal. Schemes promising quick riches via automated channels are losing validity.

The Deceptive Label and Trust Deficits:

YouTube highlighted concerns regarding misleading content. For the Zimbabwean creator economy striving to build international credibility, an association with deceptive practices is dangerous.

If local creators use AI to distort reality through fake news, scams, or impersonating public figures without disclosure, they risk platform bans and reputational damage. Trust is the currency of the digital age, and YouTube is protecting users from content that erodes it.

A Shift from Replacement to Augmentation:

The critical takeaway is the distinction between AI generated and AI assisted content. YouTube is not banning Artificial Intelligence but targeting content where AI replaces human creativity rather than augmenting it.

This presents an opportunity for forward thinking Zimbabwean talent. Creators who survive will use AI to handle labour intensive tasks like editing, colour grading, or generating stock footage, while injecting their own unique human perspective and culture.

Using AI to animate a traditional Shona folktale is creative. Uploading generic videos with robotic voiceovers is spam. This crackdown clears the clutter, allowing authentic, culturally rich, AI assisted content to shine.

Navigating the New Rules of Engagement:

Moving forward, Zimbabwean creatives must adopt a sustainable approach to AI video production.

The Human in the Loop Rule:

Creators must ensure significant human value is added, such as a unique script, personal commentary, or a distinct editing style that an algorithm cannot easily replicate.

Transparency is Key:

As AI regulations tighten globally, disclosing the use of AI tools is best practice. This builds audience trust and ensures compliance with platform policies.

Focus on Niche and Depth:

Instead of broad appeal topics, creators should focus on deep dive content into specific niches like Zimbabwean tourism or Harare street food. Here, high quality AI enhanced visuals can shine without being flagged as spam.

Nhimbe Advocacy and Global Guidelines:

Nhimbe welcomes this development following its contributions to a global campaign by like minded creative civil society organisations. They are calling for operational guidelines under the 2005 Convention that fully protect human creativity in the age of generative AI.

The advocacy document aims to present concise concerns and recommendations for the implementation of the Convention in the digital environment. The guidelines should be technologically neutral and aim to foster human creativity rather than encourage AI adoption.

Key Recommendations:

Copyright and the ART Principles: The policy framework must ensure respect for copyright. The guidelines should affirm principles of Authorisation, Remuneration, and Transparency. Using protected works for AI development requires prior authorisation from rightsholders. Creators deserve remuneration when their works contribute to AI systems. Transparency obligations are essential for creators to identify how their works are used and to exercise their rights.

Reject the Right to Use AI: Principle 1.2, establishing a right to use AI in the name of artistic freedom, is inconsistent with the objective to protect artists. It could undermine the freedom not to use AI, particularly where economic pressures force its adoption. This principle should be removed.

Inclusion and Bias Reduction: Guidelines should not support the development of specific models like Large Language Models, which are controlled by a few large companies. Encouraging data inclusion in lightly regulated companies does not address homogenisation or discrimination effectively.

Protect Creative Professions: Guidelines must not encourage the replacement of creative professionals, such as translators and dubbing specialists, by generative AI. These professionals are essential for protecting the diversity of cultural expression and linguistic integrity. Provisions that promote their replacement without respecting copyright or human expertise should not be included.

Conclusion:

YouTube’s removal of 4.7 billion views of AI content is a correction rather than a death knell. It forces the Zimbabwean creative sector to mature. We must move past the temptation of easy, automated clicks and return to what makes video powerful, which is human connection.

The tools have changed, but the requirement for a compelling story remains. For Zimbabwean creatives, the challenge is to use technology to amplify unique voices rather than drown them out.

Today we celebrate Bulawayo Day, an occasion established through a Council Resolution championed by Nhimbe Trust during its tenure as the city’s lead technical partner for arts, culture, and heritage. We extend our sincere gratitude to the Council’s political leadership and management, both past and present, for enshrining this day for generations to come. We also acknowledge the Nhimbe Trust Board and management for their steadfast dedication to this milestone and many other enduring achievements that continue to shape our shared future.

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Zim to host inaugural KUZANA SCEEZ 2026 event An inaugural sports, creative economy, arts and investment platform, KUZANA SCEEZ 2026, is scheduled to take place in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, from 7 to 11 October 2026.