By Musonda Mukuka
The National Arts Council of Zambia (Amendment) Bill has entered Parliament at its earliest stage, but it is already facing sharp criticism from members of the country’s literary and creative community.
At the centre of the controversy is a proposal to restructure the composition of the National Arts Council Board.
At present, the Council is made up of 10 National Arts Associations representing different artistic disciplines namely the Comedian Association of Zambia, the National Association for Media Arts, the National Theatre Arts Association of Zambia, the Zambia National Visual Arts Council, the Zambia Association of Fashion Design, the Zambia Folk Dance and Music Society, the Zambia Association of Musicians, the Zambia Arts Adjudicator Panel, the Zambia Popular Theatre Alliance and the Zambia Women Writers Association.
If passed in its current form, the Bill would reduce these associations to just three bodies described as “representatives of the most representative associations engaged in matters relevant to the arts and creative industry.”
Although the Bill still has to pass through several readings in Parliament before becoming law, artists have already expressed concern over what they see as reduced representation for the sector.
Many argue that the creative industry is too diverse for only a few umbrella bodies to adequately speak for all disciplines.
They say the needs of writers, musicians, actors, visual artists and dancers are often unique and require specialised representation.
Among the most vocal critics is poet and literary advocate Anna Zgambo, who has launched a Change.org petition urging the Government to revise the proposed law.
She says the Bill was introduced without proper consultation with artists and stakeholders in the sector.
Speaking to Kuchalo, Zgambo said artists understand that the government is pursuing reforms across multiple sectors, but insisted that those directly affected should have been consulted first.
“The National Arts Council of Zambia Amendment Bill Number 20 of 2026 reached Parliament without any consultations with artists,” she said. “We understand that the Government of Zambia is doing reforms in all sectors, but we still need to be consulted because it is unacceptable that there will be only four seats for the arts on the National Arts Council Board. We do not accept that change, and we were not consulted.”
She further questioned how such an important Bill could be taken to Parliament without first engaging the people who work in the arts industry.
“We ask the government to revise the National Arts Council Amendment Bill No. 20 of 2026 and include more seats for artists on the board,” she said.
The criticism reflects wider anxieties in the sector about decision making, funding priorities and the future direction of arts governance in Zambia.
Many practitioners believe the National Arts Council should remain a body where each discipline has a clear voice, rather than one dominated by a smaller number of representatives.
In response to growing concern, National Arts Council Director Maanka A. Chipindi has assured stakeholders that there will still be opportunities for engagement. He said the drafting process for the Bill was concluded last year, and preparations are now underway for provincial and national consultations.
According to Chipindi, these consultations will provide artists and other stakeholders with formal platforms to submit their views, concerns and recommendations before the legislative process is concluded.
The coming weeks are likely to be crucial as the arts community mobilises around the issue. While some may support reforms aimed at streamlining governance structures, many creatives insist that efficiency should not come at the expense of inclusion and representation.
As Parliament prepares to debate the Bill further, one message from the artistic community is already clear: no reform of the arts sector should happen without the voices of artists themselves.