Sylvia Owori, the chief organiser of the Uganda One Festival, has said the event has significantly boosted Uganda’s arts and creative industry by creating space for creatives to reconnect, collaborate and learn from one another.
Owori made the remarks at Kololo Airstrip during the Uganda One Festival last week, an event that brought together artists, filmmakers, musicians, designers and other creative entrepreneurs from across the country.
She said the festival had helped reunite people within the sector who had long worked in isolation, while also giving them an opportunity to benchmark with fellow creatives and explore new ideas.
Owori added that the festival had opened doors for creatives to access support and international markets for their work and products, noting that exposure remains one of the biggest challenges facing Uganda’s creative industry.
“I also appreciate all the people who turned up to showcase what they have on the market. This festival will become an annual event as a way of supporting creatives and helping them grow,” Owori said.
The chief executive officer of the Uganda Federation of Movie Industry, Robert Womai, said the sector’s biggest challenge remains limited government support, arguing that Uganda could learn from countries such as Nigeria, where the creative industry is heavily backed by the state.
“In Nigeria, the government entirely supports the arts and creative industry, and today it is one of the highest revenue-generating sectors in their economy. I urge Uganda to emulate that example,” Womai said.
He added that what the sector urgently needs is government support in areas such as sensitisation, awareness of artists’ rights and the development of infrastructure that allows creatives to operate in a safe and professional environment.
Meanwhile, the public relations officer of the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), Denis Nabende, warned the public against using creative works such as music and films without permission from their owners.
Nabende said copyright infringement is a criminal offence punishable by up to two years in prison or a fine, or both, stressing that the law protects creators’ rights to earn from their work.
“The copyright law gives the owner of music, a movie or any other creative work the right to benefit from it by ensuring that anyone who uses it has paid,” Nabende said.
He added that URSB encourages all players in the creative industry to register their works to secure legal protection.
The Uganda One Festival attracted dozens of exhibitors showcasing products and services ranging from shoe making, film production and music to fashion, performing arts, herbal products and clothing manufacturing.
