Iyasa to launch virtual show

INKULULEKO Yabatsha School of Arts (Iyasa) with the support from the African Culture Fund is set to launch a new virtual show themed Promoting virtual engagement for creative resilience in COVID-19 (Prove) next month.

Iyasa director Nkululeko Innocent Dube told NewsDay Life & Style that the virtual show would see eight artists from Bulawayo being profiled and getting a chance to perform live via Iyasa digital media platforms.

"The virtual show dubbed Promoting virtual engagement for creative resilience in COVID-19 is inspired by a need to host more online shows done by artists despite the difficult phases we faced last year," he said.

"The show will take people through artists' general life off the stage and how they have been coping during COVID-19-induced lockdowns, above all how they have kept the arts hustle alive despite all the challenges we have faced globally last year."

He said the show was set to run for four weeks with 45 minutes running time.

"This new concept will show the resilience our artists have regarding their creative work. It is set to boost visibility of local performances and expose artists to online viewers," he said.

"We made a call for interested artists and we have received overwhelming responses. We are now making arrangements with artists who shall be part of this project."

Iyasa publicist Kudakwashe Takundwa said the virtual show was coming after the success of the Credisi project which was supported by Culture at Work Africa and ran for a year, with Iyasa being an implementing partner.

"Credisi, which ended in November last year, left many hungry for more live performances, something that made Iyasa go on a search for more partners for such performances," he said.