Youthful art movement, Zaluso Arts, has embarked on a project whereby they are using various forms of art aimed at democratising access to information to promote active citizenship.

The project, titled Zalero, is engaging content creators such as comedians, dramatists, visual artists among others, to create tailor-made content addressing current affairs related to the country’s governance. 

Zaluso Arts will implement the project in partnership with the Open Society for Southern Africa Initiative (Osisa) and will also provide a platform for citizens to dialogue, debate and engage on issues of national importance from their perspectives.

Some of the artists to take part in the programme

According to a joint communication from the two implementing partners, one of the key components under the project is Zalero News, a community news and web series which will be done in collaboration with university of Malawi’s Fine And Performing Arts (FPA) department.

“This will be a three-part programme consisting of news anchor, sketch comedy and social commentary from members of the public. The production and direction of the series will draw upon expertise from both the FPA and Zaluso Arts,” reads the communication in part.

The series will be available on various social media platforms. The initiative will also birth 10 large murals with messages generated from the project that will be painted at strategic locations across the country.

Zaluso Arts director of programmes and project lead Otiyela Mtema said through the credible information shared through the project, people will be empowered to defend, resist, mobilise and demand their rights as well as government responsiveness to issues affecting them.

He said: “We believe in the instrumentality of the arts as a tool for social impact. Through this project, we will use creative and compelling storytelling means to catalyse informed citizen engagement on key issues affecting them and their communities.”

Mtema said the project will primarily targeting youths. He said art will be key in packaging and disseminating information which is complex and make it easy to digest for the common Malawian.

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