Facilities
/ Previous visiting artists/ Current
visiting artists
Artists' Residencies
International and local artists are invited for exchanges and residencies which offer a place to work and exhibit for an agreed period of time. The centre offers a sculpture garden , painting and printing studio and gallery. This project will encourage an exchange of ideas, experience and techniques .Visitors will also have a chance to interact with the public. The Art Centre will assist visiting artists with contacts and information on opportunities, but does not offer funding. .
The centre acts as an educational resource for the region holding workshops, discussions and exhibitions. Artists visit local schools and educational institutions and giving talks on their work and showing their slides or photographs at Mkoba Teachers College, Midlands State University in Gweru and Shurugwi Secondary School. In addition the centre is a platform for public performances, music, dance and poetry readings form part of an ongoing programme of cultural activities at weekends.
How to get there
The journey from Harare to Surprise is 323 km and 200 km from Bulawayo.
Surprise Art Centre is situated between Shurgwi and the Midlands capital
Gweru (20km distance). It is well sign-posted on the Shurugwi main road.
Visitors arriving in Gweru can make prior arrangements to be collected.
Proposed Activities
During the artist's stay at the Art Centre a substantial
amount of time will be dedicated to their own work and are expected to
interact with the community e.g. outreach work with school children,
and those on the streets, the sick and underprivileged. Local artists
visit and work at the Centre frequently.
Trips to art institutions, artists' studios, places
of interests around the country are possible. i. e. Bulawayo: National
Gallery, Mzilikazi Art & Craft Centre, Amakhosi Theatre, Cyrene Mission,
Zimbabwe Natural History Museum.
Harare: National Gallery, B.A.T. Studios, Gallery Delta, Chapungu Sculpture
Park, Dominic's Studio, Tengenenge and numerous others.
Mutare: National Gallery, Weya Women's Project, Gatehouse Weavers Coorporative
etc.
Masvingo: Serima Mission, Drieffontain Mission
Contact:
Surprise Art Centre, P.O.Box 238, Shurugwi, Zimbabwe
Tel/Fax: (263) 54 - 21749
E-mail: utonga@global.co.za
copyright surprise art centre, all rights reserved 2003