SAUTI ZA BUSARA NEEDS YOUR HELP
(Posted 22nd August 2015)
Eastern Africa’s most important music, film, performing arts and culture festival, an institution in its own right now, Sauti Za Busara, is likely to shelve the 2016 edition of the festival due to lack of funding.
I have covered the festival from a very fledgling start, giving it my full and unwavering support over the years, and was happy to see it grow in leaps and bounds, from a Zanzibari music weekend to perhaps Africa’s most iconic event of its kind in recent years.
While it is understood that the custodians of the event yesterday took the decision to halt preparations for next February’s festival, I believe not all is lost, should East Africa’s corporate community come together and provide the festival organizers with funding, in both cash and kind.
Sauti Za Busara in recent years filled Zanzibar to the brim with often not a bed to be had and no seat left on the flights into the Spice Island nor standing space on the ferries. While I am sure that the organizers have left no stone unturned to get sponsorships signed up, I am equally sure that one more appeal does not harm and leaves the door open to see another edition of the festival in 2016.
It is my sincere wish for my readers to come together, perhaps consider a ‘crowdfunding’ initiative or for corporate bosses reading my appeal to dig deep and help to keep one of East Africa’s leading cultural events alive.
The publications I write for and my blog have always been at Sauti Za Busara’s disposal for publicity and I do hope, through this very personal appeal that the tide can be kept from turning. Zanzibar in February without Sauti Za Busara, Zanzibar without this iconic festival, East Africa without this platform for African performers, will simply not be the same again.
For more information visit www.busaramusic.org or write to busara@busara.or.tz
