Jacaranda Cultural Centre thinks big for Malawi arts

Jacaranda Cultural Centre (JCC) and Maison de la France in Blantyre have revealed plans to promote the country’s diverse arts.

Speaking in an interview on the sidelines of the official opening of Mr. Luc library at Henry Henderson Institute (HHI) Primary School recently, JCC and Maison de la France deputy director Daisy Belfield said they are set to take arts to the next level.

“As JCC and Maison de la France, we are committed to promoting Malawian art and to invest in both developing and established creative talent across Malawi,” she said.

Belfield said they were impressed with works of Malawian artists that have finally found a platform in JCC and Maison de la France. 

“As a centre, we exist to provide a platform for different voices by providing a venue which celebrates talent and exposes it to a national and international audience. And we are impressed with the creative works of Malawian artists who have started penetrating the world,” she said.

Lack of venues for exhibitions, has been a long-standing challenge for many artists in Malawi. For a long time, they have been relying on annual festivals such as Blantyre Arts Festival (BAF) to exhibit.

But Belfield said time has come for JCC and Maison de la France to ease the plight of artists in the country. So far, the centre has held about five exhibitions, including those of Dr. Claude Boucher Chisale and his Kungoni Centre of Culture and Art and the on-going Ellis Singano’s visual arts exhibition.

Belfield described Ellis Singano’s exhibition as a success saying it has sold over eight works.

“We have intensified exhibition by Malawian artists at JCC and Maison de la France. After Ellis Singano’s exhibition, which has sold over eight works, we will hold another one by Kenneth Namalomba. We believe this is the only way we can uplift the country’s artists,” she said.  n