The Creative Arts System Needs School: Tanaka Chikati’s Journey to Harvard Graduate School of Education

Many creatives have learnt not to trust the Arts with their futures. It is hard to dream in colour when bills due are in black and white. But what if the real issue is the supporting system that scales the Arts?

What if the system needs school?

The System Needs A Bit of Schooling: Tanaka’s Vision and Next Steps

For Tanaka Chikati (’19), Art is impact. She wants to create the Creative Arts Ecosystem, where others build sustainable lives through Art.

“I want to establish a world-class school that nurtures Africans’ artistic talents. My goal is to impart skills that can empower them to be independent artists who are capable of collaborating with others, creating meaningful art and contributing to the growth of the African continent.”

Tanaka also envisions a world where no Creative has to justify their desire to study the Arts. The question, “What will you do with music?” shall be replaced with, “How are you shaping the world?”

Tanaka derives her inspiration from African values that she learnt from her family.

“I always go back to the wisdom my grandparents instilled — Mushandirapamwe, Ubuntu (collective action). Just like music, I rely on the ‘call and response’ dynamic between me and my communities.”

And now, the invaluable spirit of Mushandirapamwe is what she will be carrying on her next step.

Tanaka will be pursuing a Master’s in Education Leadership, Organisations, and Entrepreneurship at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, with a concentration in Arts Learning. A poetic match. The Arts can be reimagined through Tanaka’s knack for mobilising communities with the fire of creative pedagogy.

The Vision Needed a Bit of Developing: Tanaka’s Growth

Tanaka’s vision has not come out of nowhere, but after years of performing marimba at Dominican Convent in Harare, defining her purpose of Arts empowerment at ALA in Mr. Tait’s Entrepreneurial Leadership class in Johannesburg, and producing her EP “Unonzani” at Dartmouth College.

But there was one canon event that defined her purpose. In Spring 2023, she took a course called Arts Entrepreneurship at Dartmouth. She was meant to be in Vienna, Austria, for a Music Study
Abroad programme, but her visa was denied. What seemed like a lost opportunity became a redirection.

That Arts Entrepreneurship class changed everything.

“We read a book called Beyond Talent by Angela Myles Beeching. We learnt how to set up a website, what to write in your bio, how to talk to people. This book became my bread and butter to going pro in my music.”

After that class, Tanaka did a photoshoot, made a website, drew up a business model canvas for her EP launch, and took the first step towards her career. Tanaka’s artistry is constantly inspired by her academic environment. A song writing seminar birthed her original song, Hanga naBonga. But Tanakasee s music as a gateway to learning.

“There are so many interesting things to pair music with: activism, linguistics, maths, theory, singing and performance, and sound design.”

Her Purpose Needs a Bit of Support: Tanaka’s Fundraiser

Tanaka now needs your help to raise US$40,000 in just 7 days to enroll in one of the most competitive graduate programs in the world. Click here to donate. So far, 20% of her goal has been raised. She is steadily climbing. With every share and cent, she gets closer. And what’s the value for us Creatives? We get closer to a world where Arts and Education are no longer enemies, but collaborators. We get closer to a world where Ubuntu / Mushandirapamwe can bear the fruits of Artistic development.

In Tanaka’s own words: “I believe in collective action and how it can lead to progress. In my culture, The Arts are not just performance. It’s community. It’s Ubuntu. Even leadership is collective.“

How You Can Help

You can donate to her fundraiser, and/or you can share this story with your network.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/empower-the-future-generation-of-creative-artists

Tanaka’s work is no luxury, it is a means to empowerment. And this is not just her fundraiser, it is one for the 16-year-old African Creative who shall read this tomorrow, get inspired, dream, and begin their journey of their career in the Arts.

N.B.: Although Tanaka did not make it for the music program in 2023, she managed to grace the Vienna Sabubu Festival with her elegant performance recently. Click here to watch her performance.