It is called Mbare Art Space, a cultural space created by Moffat Takadiwa, one of the most influential figures in Zimbabwe’s artist-run space movement. It is a colonial-era brewery that has now become a dynamic arts center.
Mbare Art Space transforms a former site of segregation into a vibrant center of artistic and community revival. It redefines a legacy of restriction and control as a legacy of creative freedom and empowerment. The site is now a haven for artists, with studios, offices, an exhibition hall, and a digital center.
Takadiwa opened Mbare Art Space in 2019 with a vision to support emerging artists through mentorship and access to resources. True to his artistic philosophy—resurrecting abandoned, often forgotten materials that suffered the effects of urban decay—he revitalized a neglected site. Most of the artists working in this space follow his example, recycling and repurposing found materials into compelling visual forms that speak to both history and possibility.
Operating under a long-term lease with the Harare City Council, this nonprofit initiative is part of a larger urban renewal and adaptive reuse project that aims to reinvent the city’s cultural infrastructure.
More about Mbare Art Space and how it impacts the city of Harare can be found in Tinashe Mushakavanhu’s article.
Written by: Eduardo Quive
