Harare, Zimbabwe – Creatives from across Zimbabwe’s cultural and creative sectors gathered for an Introduction to Project Management for Creatives, a pioneering workshop that brought together aspiring project managers from music, dance, theatre, arts education, and arts administration. The diversity of participants reflected a growing recognition that project management is becoming an essential skill for building sustainable careers and stronger creative institutions.

The workshop also marked an important milestone with the formalisation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Magitare Africa and Project Management Institute Zimbabwe. The partnership establishes a long-term commitment to equip creatives with project management knowledge, professional development opportunities, and pathways into internationally recognised project management practice.

Speaking at the event, PMIZ Harare Chapter President Anesu Vere welcomed the partnership, describing it as an opportunity to bridge the gap between the project management profession and the creative sector. He further pledged to personally mentor interested creatives through project management frameworks, sowing into the vision of developing more certified project managers within Zimbabwe’s creative economy.

Magitare Africa Executive Director Tariro Chaniwa highlighted that the partnership is about more than improving project delivery. She shared that one of the greatest challenges facing the creative sector is the absence of documented systems and institutional memory. By introducing project management tools, frameworks, and processes, creatives can begin building blueprints that preserve knowledge, strengthen organisations, and create legacies that can be passed on to future generations.

Facilitator, Engineer Kundai Maponga introduced participants to the fundamentals of project management, demonstrating how these principles can be applied to creative projects of every scale. Her session sparked significant interest among attendees, many expressing a desire to pursue professional project management certifications to complement their creative expertise.

Representing the British Council, Chipo Kanyumbu shared practical examples of how project management principles underpin the successful delivery of complex development programmes. Her presentation illustrated that project management is not merely a corporate discipline but a practical tool that enables creativity, accountability, collaboration, and measurable impact.

The workshop forms part of Magitare Africa’s broader vision to strengthen Zimbabwe’s creative economy through capacity building. As barriers to entering the creative industries continue to decrease, the need for professionalism, effective planning, and sustainable management has become increasingly important. Equipping creatives with project management skills enables them to move beyond talent alone and build careers and organisations capable of attracting investment, managing resources effectively, and delivering long-term impact.

This initiative is one of the tangible outcomes of lessons emerging from the British Council’s SoCreative eLearning Programme. Through the programme, Magitare Africa has continued to expand opportunities that respond directly to the needs of Zimbabwe’s creative sector by connecting creatives with practical business, leadership, and management skills that strengthen the entire ecosystem.

The workshop was made possible through the generous support of the British Council, the Embassy of Switzerland in Zimbabwe, Project Management Institute Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe German Society, and Magitare Africa, whose collective commitment continues to build a more resilient, skilled, and globally competitive creative economy for Zimbabwe.