Basata's new regulations to revitalise Tanzania's arts scene

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s arts and entertainment industry is set to experience a major transformation with the National Arts Council of Tanzania (Basata) introducing new amendments to its 2018 regulations.

The changes are expected to ease the burden on the organizers of events, particularly those hosting festivals or inviting foreign artistes for cultural and educational exchanges.

The amendments come in response to years of complaints from stakeholders who have expressed frustration with the restrictive regulations.

Speaking at a meeting with the arts industry players on Friday, November 22, Basata Secretary General Kedmon Mapana announced that the council had completed a review of the policies and submitted them to the Ministry of Culture, Arts, and Sports for further review by the Attorney General.

“These new regulations will bring significant and transformative changes. We’ve listened to your concerns and made many adjustments, including simplifying the language in the regulations,” Mr Mapana said, offering reassurance to those who had felt constrained by the old rules.

He further emphasised that outdated provisions would be eliminated, and that Basata’s role would now focus on supporting, not restricting Tanzanian artistes and event organizers.

“There will no longer be any rules that threaten Tanzanians, telling them what they are not allowed to do. Our goal is to uplift and empower,” he stated.

One of the major changes that will benefit event organizers is the introduction of a grace period for those hosting their first events.

Under the revised regulations, Basata will no longer require first-time organizers to pay permit fees, instead, they will be supported by the council for the first year, with payments to be made once the event becomes financially stable.

Another crucial change is the removal of the Sh1.5 million fee previously charged to foreign artistes coming to Tanzania for educational or cultural exchange purposes.

“Last year, a choir from Congo was invited to perform at an Easter concert. They had to pay the entry fee of Sh1 million each, making it impossible for the event organizer to cover costs. This new regulation will remove such barriers and allow more international artistes to come to Tanzania,” Mr Mapana explained.

Additionally, the new regulations simplify the permit fees for events that charge entry fees. The costs will now be based on ticket prices. For events with ticket prices between Sh1,000 and Sh50,000, the permit fee will be Sh200,000.

For events charging between Sh51, 000 and Sh100,000, the fee will be Sh300,000, while events with tickets priced above Sh1 million will face a permit fee of Sh500,000.

The changes have been widely welcomed by the industry stakeholders, with the event organizer, Daniel Joachim expressing his optimism about the impact these revisions will have on the sector.

“We often faced challenges in inviting foreign artistes for educational events due to high permit costs. These changes will make it much easier to bring in international talent, which will have a positive impacts on the industry,” Joachim said.

Bongo Flava songwriter Mariam Ramadhani also praised BASATA’s efforts, “The changes we’ve seen so far show that the council is committed to supporting the industry.

It’s a step in the right direction, and I’m excited about what’s to come,” she said.

Mr Mapana urged stakeholders to remain patient as the finalisation of the regulations moves forward.

“We are committed to making sure your concerns are addressed. It pains me to see frustrations in the industry. Let’s work together and embrace these changes,” he concluded.

With these new regulations, Tanzania’s arts industry is poised to take a big step forward, fostering growth and opening up new opportunities for both local and international artistes.