Shepherd Mutamba for Zimbo Jam Monday, 30 January 2012 11:56  

The closure of Harare’s twin arts and culture venues and restaurants namely the Book Café and Mannenberg on Saturday 31st December 2011 now transpires after all to be a blessing in disguise to artists. 

For a start, as Zimbojam can exclusively reveal, the Book Café is reopening on Thursday 8 March 2012 the same day it will be receiving, at the new premises, its $25 000 Prince Clause award.

Now, the Mannenberg as a venue is gone for now but not entirely…it is a brand on its own representing something and will be reincarnated musically. Paul Brickhill, founder and director of Book Café told Zimbojam: “We are going to put shows on styled as Mannenberg productions at the Book Café. It’s bound to be jazz music or world music. We will do that to keep the name of the Mannenberg alive.” 

More positive developments abound. 

The new space is bigger and carries up to 240 people and that is good news considering the old venue accommodated just about 100 people. But the bigger space also presents a challenge for Book Café to grow bigger and for artists it means they must pack in more audiences. 

“The main section of the venue will take about 200 people and 240 people when full. That is double the capacity of the old Book Café. The back area will take up another 150 people.”

From the developmental side there is a renewed sense where Book Café is developing an arts factory in Kaguvi Street, in the Kopje area of Harare, which will be more of a service centre accommodating a rehearsal studio, meeting room and library for artists. 

The developmental vision of Book Café is now pointing towards the possibility of outreach programmes outside Harare. That means the Book Café might just be going national too. 

“It has been put to us as an idea that we should make Book Café national…places, for example, like a Book Café in Karoi, Gutu, Chinhoyi and so forth. We have taken the idea on board and want to see how we can develop it. One thing I am sure of but cannot confirm as yet is that this year there won’t be no less than 20, 30, 40 Book Café shows presented in all the other centres in the country including Bulawayo. We feel that is the way to go for us and the artists.” 

There has always been two sides to the Book Café, the role of its performing artists in society and the development of that role. 

“My belief is that the artist in our country is a responsible person, we have balanced artists with profound views and fairly something to contribute to nation building. So we want to emphasise that role to the nation that people must please listen to the artist…the corporate, business and political sectors must listen to the artist. The creativity of the artist has serious implications for all sectors.”The other side of the vision is to do with the democratic rights of artists particularly the right to freedom of expression. 

“If I have an idea that benefits society, my country or family and I don’t release it and share it with the people then I am not being constructive but destructive. Artists must have the courage to share ideas and let people dialogue. We don’t want artists to censor themselves and live in fear.”  As the Book Cafe reopens the arts sector could be seeing a rejuvenated and much stronger outfit rising from the ashes. 

“Part of the process of closing and reopening also meant taking stock of our work and asking ourselves if we have been effective or not…where are our weaknesses and being self-critical. What is coming now is stronger in the sense of planning and commitment to higher quality and upgrading the level of the arts.” 

The Book Café and Mannenberg closed after the owners of the building, located at Fife Avenue Shopping Centre in Harare’s avenues, decided to convert the premises for other use.

On Thursday 26 January 2012 artists poured into the old Book Café for a briefing by Brickhill who appraised them on the progress of the reopening. 

- Shepherd Mutamba for Zimbo Jam  

http://www.zimbojam.com/culture/culture/3334-book-cafe-reopens-8-march-ambitious-stronger.html