Former Kalimba Band member, Francis Chintembo, has called on the government to assist the creative industry by fastening the process of establishing the National Arts and Heritage Council.
Recently Minister of Sports and Culture Grace Chiumia said her ministry was working hard to make sure that the comes into fruition.
A draft National Arts and Heritage Council is already on the ground.
Chintembo, who took a break in music before coming back, noted that there was talent in the country but there were no resources to grow the talent.
“I have been in music for a long time and progress has been made. There are is a lot of talent out there but we do not have enough resources. For instance our arts associations do not have funds to embark on different projects and this is why we are calling for the Arts Council which will among others help associations get some funding,” said Chintembo.
The Blantyre-based bass guitarist, who travelled the world over alongside the whole Kalimba crew entertaining the masses with their roller-coaster album Make Friends with the World in the past years, said the creative industry has been neglected for a long-time and that it was high it gained the respect.
“It has taken us 50 years to have the Cultural Policy something which just shows that our governments have not be recognising the importance of the creative sector and now after the Cultural Policy we were thinking that things would move faster to bring in the Arts Council but it seems its taking ages again,” said Chintembo.
He said other fields such as sports were doing well in terms of receiving funding because there is the Sports Council.
“I understand it takes time but the Arts Council is long overdue and I am sure consultations were already made and now we could have been talking about the National Arts and Heritage Council Bill being tabled in Parliament but we have not heard anything,” said Chintembo.
The guitarist said he was planning to release an album.
“The past years I have not managed to release my own album but now I have my own songs. I have lots of songs it’s just that with piracy one gets discouraged,” he said.
The artist, who is in his 60s also called for unity among artists saying the industry, will only grow when they work together.
“Let’s not work in isolation, we need to move together if we are to have the Arts Council. I am sure once the Arts Council is established, so many things will improve,” he said.
Chintembo said music will always be part of his life and that it is a career which has helped him travel the world but also make friends.
“Music will always play an important role in development and there are times I get sad but when I play music things normalise because music has some sort of medication,” he said.
During his stint with Kalimba, Chintembo played with among others Dennis Moyo, Griffin Mhango, Kid Mkandawire, who is in Denmark, Stain Phiri, who is currently in South Africa and Isaac Nyirenda, who is currently in UK.
“With technology so many things have changed and the current generation is doing well. I think all that needs to be done is to work hard in terms of rehearsals if they are to produce the best during live performances,” he said.
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