NGOMA AWARDS (Contintued..)

Selection

The first awards then called “National Honours and Awards”, were conferred in 1997 when the programme covered a period going back to ten years. Nominations for recipients were received from the general public. In addition to the trophy that the winners got, they were also given K250,000.00 each in all the 21 categories.

From 1998, Artists have been awarded for their annual artistic achievements. Art associations hold competitions, festivals and exhibitions where qualified adjudicators (from the Zambia Adjudicators Panel) conduct the adjudication.

Between 1998 and 2001 the prize money stood at K1,000,000.00. This was upped to K1,500,000.00 in 2002. This year 2004 will mark the eighth year that the Ngoma Awards will be held.

The National Arts Council comprises nine arts associations representing performing, literary media and fine arts. These are:

1. National Theatre Arts Association of Zambia (NATAAZ)

2. National Media Arts Association (NAMA)

3. Zambia Folk Dance and Music Society (ZAFODAMUS)

4. Zambia Women Writers Association (ZAWWA)

5. Zambia Popular Theatre Alliance (ZAPOTA)

6. Zambia Association of Musicians (ZAM)

7. Zambia Adjudicators’ Panel (ZAP)

8. Zambia National Visual Arts Council (VAC)

9. Association of Theatre for Children and Young People in Zambia (ASSITEJ – Zambia)

Each of the associations runs individual competitions throughout the year and the awards ceremony caps the year’s run of those activities. From an Initial six associations that took part in the activity in 1997 where twenty-one category awards were presented, there are now eight associations where twenty-five category awards are presented.

The finalists at the awards have to excel at district, provincial and selected national competitions that the associations run. The final best three in each category compete for the Ngoma trophy and the cash prize that goes with it.

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