The award has been described as “a momentous achievement for Zimbabwean performing arts, and for Book Cafe”, which becomes one of the first live performing arts venues of this kind in the world to win the prestigious global award.
Book Cafe was awarded the prize for its role in “culture and development”, built and focussed on a platform of freedom of expression across music, poetry and theatre with public discussion, film and multi-disciplinary arts.
Four African recipients in performing arts have previously received the award: Baaba Maal (Senegal, music), Werewere Liking (Ivory Coast, spoken word), Yousour N'dour (Senegal, music) and Zimbabwe's Edgar Langeveld (comedy), who fittingly achieved his major successes in Book Cafe.
Previous Zimbabwean laureates also include Zimbabwe International Book Fair Trust (1997), in which Book Cafe's forerunner, Grassroots Books, had also played a prominent role. The Jury Report for the 2011 Price Claus Award to the Book Cafe reads:
“The Book Café (launched 1997, Harare) is a vibrant platform for free cultural expression. Operating under the umbrella of the Pamberi Trust, with creative director Paul Brickhill, and a dedicated team of staff, this unassuming café and bar presents more than 600 cultural events a year to enthusiastic capacity audiences of people from all racial and cultural groups and all sectors of Zimbabwean society”.
The Prince Claus Awards are presented annually to individuals, groups and organisations in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean for outstanding achievement in culture and the positive effect of their work on the wider cultural or social field.
Post published in: Arts