IYASA is Zimbabwe's multi award winning performing arts school for youths established in 2001 to support and promote the best interests of young musicians, dancers, actors and poets. It has since expanded to be a resource centre for most established and upcoming artistes, especially actors, poets, musicians, singers and dancers. IYASA is based in the city of Bulawayo in Zimbabwe.
IYASA has a talented and committed team of skilled and highly trained artistes in music, dance, drama and poetry, film and other genres. Through comprehensive workshops, projects, training programmes and performances in and outside Zimbabwe IYASA plays an integral role in the development and promotion of talent in music, dance, film, poetry and theatre.
IYASA has become a household name in Zimbabwe and also established themselves into an internationally recognized organization and ambassadors of African performing arts through projects and performances locally, regionally and internationally. These include U.S.A, Austria, Germany, Serbia, Czech Republic, South Africa, Botswana, Swaziland, Zambia, Malawi, Slovakia, and U.K, Japan, Taiwan Mexico, Montenegro, Italy, Lichtenstein and Croatia among others.
IYASA is an abbreviation for INKULULEKO YABATSHA SCHOOL OF ARTS which translates to FREEDOM FOR YOUNG PEOPLE SCHOOL OF ARTS. Their motto is 'there goes the morning star' a pun on the name IYASA which in Ndebele also means sunrise and the fact that their ideal is to bring light and opportunity to young and youthful artistes just like the morning star that heralds day after night.
Iyasa is committed to also improving and promoting theatre for young people and by young people. Through their workshop programme Isiphiwo Sami talent Search and development they train scholars and teachers in secondary and high schools in various theatre and other art genres. An average of 40 schools take part every year.
In order to sustain the school and its members Iyasa performs theatre productions, music and dance productions, poetry, public shows, at leisure places, at weddings, collaborations, promotions, advertisements, road shows, co-operate functions, festivals, commissioned and thematised work, social campaigns and also records music and films. IYASA are simply put: The brand that fits the occasion. For them no occasion, event or project is deemed too small or too big in capacity. They are versatile.
IYASA is a community based school of arts that champions the nurturing and growth of talent in the arts. It is a grooming platform for young people who want to pursue careers in the arts. Membership is for free and open to all young people with a passion, ambition and talent wish to explore in the arts. While talent is important it is not a prime priority at IYASA.IYASA insists more on discipline ,ambition and good focus as the key to anyone being a part of the organisation. No auditions are required. When young people join Iyasa they are taken as trainees and if they excel they are considered for full time membership.
Members are free to join other groups after training and can also be recommended to other contracts and organisations that require their expertise. They can also start up solo projects. Membership remains open and in the model of a school, Iyasa thrives not to be identified through particular names and artistes in their productions. While some of the members may excel and be identified as faces of the group Iyasa encourages free movement of talent in and out of the group. Basically IYASA also acts as an agency for upcoming artists and seeks to create as many platforms for them to develop as artistes, locally and internationally. Currently IYASA funds itself and all its projects through funds raised from shows, international projects and sale of their own products.