Chitungwiza Arts Centre Opens Gates to Local Traders as Saturday Market Launches

Chitungwiza Arts Centre is launching a weekly Saturday Market on October 18 to connect local traders and artists (image source)

CHITUNGWIZA — The Chitungwiza Arts Centre, one of southern Africa’s largest sculpture hubs, has unveiled a new weekly Saturday Market to attract local traders, increase community engagement and expand opportunities for resident artists. The inaugural event is set for October 18 at the centre’s Zengeza 4 compound.

Home to more than 200 sculptors alongside musicians, painters and craft practitioners, the centre aims to transform itself from an export-focused enclave into a dynamic cultural and commercial space. Vice-chairperson Moses Mangenda said the initiative seeks to draw a “mixed crowd” and provide direct sales opportunities for artists while deepening ties with surrounding communities.

The market is also meant to reduce artists’ reliance on foreign buyers and intermediaries by fostering local demand. Combining sculpture displays with food stalls, household goods and artisanal crafts, the event is designed to become a weekly community hub where art and everyday trade coexist.

Veteran sculptor Shelton Mubayi welcomed the initiative as a bridge between artists and residents who rarely visit the workshops. He said the market would serve as an educational and cultural space, giving schools, families and students access to Zimbabwean stone art and traditional craftsmanship. Organisers hope it will strengthen apprenticeship and attachment programmes already linked to local educational institutions.

Founded in 1997 through a partnership between the Arts and Culture Ministry, UNDP and Chitungwiza Town Council, the centre’s mission has long focused on poverty alleviation through art and craft. The Saturday Market extends that mandate, blending livelihood creation with heritage promotion.

Preparations are underway for vendor registration, stall allocation and amenities such as sanitation and security. Organisers pledged to prioritise local suppliers and affordability to keep the event accessible. Traders across Chitungwiza are invited to participate, with organisers promising a vibrant gathering where “culture, commerce and community meet.”