Cheaper Licences For Zimbabwe Artists, Studios And Festival Organisers
A major financial barrier for Zimbabwe’s creative sector has been dramatically lowered. The National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) has announced an immediate and sweeping reduction in registration and renewal fees for artists, promoters, and organisations. The new fee structure, effective from 30 January 2026, slashes costs by up to fifty percent for some categories and completely waives others in a bid to stimulate the struggling arts industry.
The move follows a directive from the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Martin Rushwaya, for government agencies to review levies. In a statement, the NACZ framed the decision as a direct intervention to boost the creative economy.
“This decisive reduction is designed to lower the barriers to formalisation, encourage compliance, and inject vitality into the sector by allowing practitioners to redirect resources towards production, innovation, and sustainability.”
Promoters And Venues Receive Hefty Cuts
The most significant reductions target the commercial backbone of the arts. Business promoters now pay a registration fee of US$325 (approx. ZAR 5,850) instead of US$650 (approx. ZAR 11,700). The fee for clearing local shows has been halved from US$100 (approx. ZAR 1,800) to US$50 (approx. ZAR 900) per month. In a major concession, all fees for venue promoters have been completely waived; previously they faced charges of US$500 (approx. ZAR 9,000) for registration.
The clearance fee for importing foreign artists has seen its minimum charge drop from US$1,000 (approx. ZAR 18,000) to US$500 (approx. ZAR 9,000).
A “Breathing Space” For Studios And Festivals
Other key industry players have also received substantial relief. Registration fees for commercial festival promoters, arts awards bodies, recording studios, and NGOs have been cut from US$500 (approx. ZAR 9,000) to US$250 (approx. ZAR 4,500). The cost to clear imported production and musical equipment has plummeted from 5% to just 1.5% of the invoice value.
Individual Artist Fee Unchanged
While major cuts apply across the sector, the fee for individual artists remains at its previous level of US$20 (approx. ZAR 360) for both registration and renewal. The NACZ stated that the revised structure reaffirms the government’s role in ensuring the arts sector is “inclusive, vibrant, and a key contributor to Zimbabwe’s socio-economic transformation.” The sector now watches to see if this significant reduction in bureaucracy will translate into a surge in formal activity and creative output.
Detailed Fee Structure Changes (Effective 30 January 2026)
| Category | Previous Registration Fee | Previous Renewal Fee | New Registration Fee | New Renewal Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual Artist | US$20 (ZAR 360) | US$20 (ZAR 360) | US$20 (ZAR 360) | US$20 (ZAR 360) | No change. |
| Arts Institutions/Organisations | US$250 (ZAR 4,500) | US$150 (ZAR 2,700) | US$125 (ZAR 2,250) | US$75 (ZAR 1,350) | 50% reduction on registration. |
| Business Promoters (Tier 1) | US$650 (ZAR 11,700) | US$550 (ZAR 9,900) | US$325 (ZAR 5,850) | US$275 (ZAR 4,950) | Approx. 50% reduction. |
| Venue Promoters | US$500 (ZAR 9,000) | US$400 (ZAR 7,200) | WAIVERED | WAIVERED | Fees completely removed. |
| Commercial Festival Promoters/Arts Awards | US$500 (ZAR 9,000) | US$400 (ZAR 7,200) | US$250 (ZAR 4,500) | US$200 (ZAR 3,600) | 50% reduction on registration. |
| Studios | US$500 (ZAR 9,000) | US$400 (ZAR 7,200) | US$250 (ZAR 4,500) | US$200 (ZAR 3,600) | 50% reduction on registration. |
| Clearance of Local Shows (Monthly) | US$100 (ZAR 1,800) | US$100 (ZAR 1,800) | US$50 (ZAR 900) | US$50 (ZAR 900) | 50% reduction. |
| Clearance on Importation of Foreign Artists | Min. US$1,000 (ZAR 18,000) | Min. US$1,000 (ZAR 18,000) | Min. US$500 (ZAR 9,000) | Min. US$500 (ZAR 9,000) | Minimum fee halved. |
| Clearance Fee for Production & Musical Equipment | 5% of invoice value | 5% of invoice value | 1.5% of invoice value | 1.5% of invoice value | Significant reduction. |
Table based on the NACZ announcement of 30 January 2026. All ZAR equivalents are approximate.
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