A new cohort of NAMA nominees has been announced by the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe, which inevitably ignites arguments and triggers discussions about the arts. This year is no different, and in fact it might be even more contentious with the participation of technology, AI to be precise, in the arts. While these conversations rage on we've decided to add our own small little discussion, on what this year's NAMA nominees mean for the arts.
For those who don't know, the NAMA Awards are the highest honour in the Zimbabwean arts space. The 2026 edition will be the 24th hosting of the annual awards show. From its inception in 2002 as a platform to celebrate the best in our creative industries, it has become a pulse check of the trends in the Zimbabwean arts space. In the following article we dissect what the nominees are telling us about the current nature of the arts space:
Hope Masike showcasing one of the traditional broom garments in the Ndishongoreiwo exhibition by Sabina Mutsvati
Storytelling
It has been said before (more than once), but it constantly requires repeating; Zimbabwean stories matter. If we don't tell them then who will? This notion is reinforced by this year's NAMA nominees.
From Sabina Mutsvati's Ndishongoreyiwo, Pardon Mapondera's Dotipaiwo Mwenje, and Claire Munjoma's Shanduko among the Visual Arts, to Morden Tavarwisa's Gonan'ombe Retsika Nemarairo eChivanhu, Rumbidzai Caroline Kahari's Kurasika MuAfurika and Ushewedu Kufakurinani's Hanzi Huchi Hwendari - Kubva Mukatikati among the Literary Honours, this year's awards celebrate the Zimbabwean story through the arts.
This is even true for the Music Awards, where Jah Prayzah's Ndini Mukudzeyi and Nisha Ts Gender Iih (The Woman King) are up for Best Album, with the singers in contention for Best Male and Best Female.
Hope Masike showcasing one of the traditional broom garments in the Ndishongoreiwo exhibition by Sabina Mutsvati
The 2026 NAMA nominees put Zimbabwean cultural expression front and centre, honouring it, celebrating it, and shining a beacon that calls on us to look within. And the arts space could certainly do with a lot more of this.
Investment
This is something that sometimes feels like it should go without saying, but similar to our previous topic needs reiterating; The arts cannot survive without investment. This not just in the form of monetary investment but knowledge, emphasis being on the latter. The importance of the 2 is truly exemplified by the Theatre and Literary nominees.
In 2025 Danai Gurira's Almasi Collaborative Arts hosted the inaugural Africa Voices Now Festival, a festival of new African plays. The showcase was 13 years in the making and it not only encapsulated the golden age of Zimbabwean theatre, which we're currently in, but what the arts could do with the right funding and technical support.
Part of the cast of These Humans Are Sick on stage at Jasen Mpepho Theatre
In our review of Tatenda Mutyambizi's These Humans Are Sick, one of the plays from the showcase, we raved about the play's brilliant writing, and lo and behold it earned Tatenda Mutyambizi a nomination for Best Playwright. Furthermore each of plays received a nomination in one form or the other, with the Africa Voices Now Festival as a whole receiving 6 nominations across the Theatre Awards category. This is what the arts can be with the right resources.
Almasi Collaborative Arts not only provided financial resources but renowned technical expertise that included Oscar and Tony Award winners. On a different scale, this is the same model that has propelled independent publishers like Carnelian Heart Publishers and Essential Books Publishing Company, who dominate the literary nominees. In short the future of the arts depends on investment in them, both monetary and knowledge based.
Digital Arts Are The Future
For the longest time the digital arts have been seen as a lesser art form when compared to others. Skit makers, podcasters and social media content creators have often had their creative products viewed as easy to make.
Yet if it was easy everyone would do it. These art forms have finally earned their place on the country highest arts awards platform. The Digital Arts category sees Comic Elder, Butterphly, Ollah 7 and more being nominated for honours such as Outstanding Podcast, Outstanding Social Media Skits and Outstanding Social Media Content Creator.
AI Is Now A Part Of The Zimbabwean Arts
Let me begin by saying that as a platform we believe that AI does not belong in the creative arts. However, even though we are a voice that matters in Zimbabwe's creative space, we are not the majority. AI has found a home in the Zimbabwean creative space and it seems set to be one that's permanent. This has been solidified by a precedence setting nomination for "Fake Love" by Winky D under Outstanding Music Video.
Directed by Jusa Dementor, the video was completely done by AI, which Jusa says "doesn't mean it was easy." It will face against visuals that were actually recorded, choreographed and colour graded, which raises the question; How can you compare the two? We reached to the NAMA Awards for their position on AI and they said, "We don't have an AI policy, we just treat all sorts of art the same."
So AI is now a part of us and while some consumers may balk at finding a certain arts product is AI, most seem not to care. A simple example of this is how the gospel charts have become riddled with AI music. "Mwari Aripo" by HLGM is arguably the biggest song in the country right now and that's AI.
It remains to be seen whether creatives will come together against this, and ask for a definitive AI policy from the National Arts Council, but for now, AI has firmly taken its place among the arts.
What did you take note of from this year's NAMA nominees?