Mutsa Connie Homera
A decade after it first opened its doors to aspiring young performers, DreamStar Zimbabwe celebrated its 10th anniversary with a grand final that placed the country’s young creative talent, cultural exchange and the transformative power of the arts at the centre of the celebrations.
The milestone celebration brought together government officials, representatives of the Chinese Embassy, arts administrators, sponsors, partners, judges, members of the media and most importantly, the young artists who have carried the DreamStar dream across its 10-year journey.
Since its inception in 2015, DreamStar has grown into a major platform for young singers, dancers and performers providing them with an opportunity not only to showcase their abilities but to pursue possibilities beyond the competition.
The Government of Zimbabwe, through the Deputy Minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, described the programme as a powerful demonstration of what the arts can achieve for young people and the country at large.
“This is a celebration of the indomitable spirits of our young people and a demonstration of the power of the arts to transform lives, to build nations and to forge lasting friendships,” Emily Jesaya, said.
She also commended Jacaranda Culture and Media Corporation (JCMC), which has been behind the programme, for its commitment to developing young talent over the past decade.
“DreamStar has been running with remarkable dedication and professionalism,” she said, acknowledging the work that has sustained the competition over the years.
But perhaps the greatest measure of DreamStar’s success lies beyond the stage.
Over the past decade, about 300 artists nurtured through the programme have reportedly participated in cultural exchange visits to China, while 22 young artists have gone on to complete advanced academic programmes, including master’s and doctoral degrees, in China.
For many participants, DreamStar has proved to be more than a competition.
It has become a starting point for education, cultural exchange, professional development and international exposure.
The programme has also enabled young Zimbabwean performers to take the country’s artistic heritage and creativity to Chinese audiences, strengthening people-to-people relations between Zimbabwe and China.
The Chinese Embassy highlighted the significance of that relationship, particularly as 2026 marks the China-Africa People-to-People Exchange Year.
DreamStar, has become an integral part of China-Zimbabwe people-to-people exchanges and a bridge of friendship between the two countries.
The support extended to the programme was also framed as an investment in the next generation.
“Your support is not simply for tonight’s event, it’s an investment in young people, creativity and future,” said Zhou Ding, the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Zimbabwe.
That philosophy has helped DreamStar attract support from different sectors, with sponsors and partners contributing to a platform that continues to give young Zimbabweans space to develop and pursue their creative ambitions.
The 10th anniversary also recognised the people and institutions that have helped build the DreamStar story, including the China-Zimbabwe Exchange Centre, JCMC, the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe, the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, the Chinese Embassy, sponsors, partners and judges.
Among those acknowledged were China-Zimbabwe Exchange Centre founder Steve Jawoke, JCMC managing director and DreamStar executive producer Walter Chakanaka, National Arts Council chief executive Napoleon Nyani, senior officials from the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, and representatives of the Chinese Embassy and Chinese community in Zimbabwe.
The celebration also shone a spotlight on the 2026 finalists and participants, whose performances represented the continuation of a dream that began a decade ago.
For DreamStar, the anniversary was not simply a celebration of how far the programme has come, but a reflection on the possibilities it has created for the young people who have passed through its doors.
Zhou Ding said, “Ten years ago DreamStar began; ten years on, the dream continues.”
And as the programme enters its second decade, that continuing dream rests on the same foundation that has defined its journey so far young talent, the arts, opportunity and the power of cultural exchange to build bridges beyond borders.
