Prime
Govt pledges to give creatives due credit
A troupe performs at an event in Kampala recently. A new study on the cultural and creative industries shows that the proportion of the national budget allocated to the sector is low. Photo/ Isaac Ssejjombwe
What you need to know:
- The report notes that, although education and training support programmes for the cultural and creative industry sector exist in various forms in Uganda, they are not well-resourced to address the various challenges that characterise the sector.
A new study on the cultural and creative industries (CCIs) in Uganda shows that the related policies and regulations are fragmented, and education and training support programmes are not well-resourced.
The study conducted by the National Planning Authority (NPA) also spotlighted inadequate financing and access to capital, the fact that ancillary goods and services are concentrated in Kampala, and there is a significant gap in marketing and branding of Uganda’s creative goods and services.
According to the report titled A Diagnostic Study of the Cultural and Creative Industries in Uganda, the regulation of CCIs is fragmented across several ministerial portfolios. This, it adds, often leads to policies that are uncoordinated at best or contradictory at worst. However, the lack of coordination between these agencies and unified planning for growing the value of CCIs has led to inefficiencies, confusion, and high compliance costs for industry stakeholders.
“Additionally, there are weaknesses related to copyright, intellectual property and the existing collective rights management organisations, which has resulted in persistent piracy of creative works, copyright infringements and unfair royalty distribution. This has restricted the revenues of cultural and creative professionals, practitioners and companies and slowed their growth and ability to create jobs,” the report notes. The study shows that the proportion of the national budget allocated to CCIs is low.
“Over the last previous years, overall government spending on the culture and creative industries hovered at 0.1 percent of the national budget. In addition, in FY2023/2024, the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development allocated Shs9.069 billion, or 0.016 percent of its budget to the department of culture and family affairs, however, most of the money was allocated to the Division of Family Affairs leaving the culture division with hardly no money to spend on creative activities.”
Ancillary goods and services such as theatres/cinemas, live performance venues, co-working spaces, art studios, artist residency facilities, public libraries and bookstores, creative hubs, festivals, among others, are, per the report, mainly driven by private investors.
“However, these ancillary goods and services are very limited in Uganda, with private sector investment mostly concentrated in Kampala and a few urban centres, sparse professional-grade theatres, cinemas, and co-working hubs,” the report notes.
“The high taxes on equipment further exacerbate the situation, discouraging investment in high-quality production infrastructure. Furthermore, the lack of sufficient ICT infrastructure has resulted in limited internet access and connectivity, which has restricted creation, production and the ability of creatives to promote and distribute their work,” the report adds.
Deficits
The report notes that, although education and training support programmes for the cultural and creative industry sector exist in various forms in Uganda, they are not well-resourced to address the various challenges that characterise the sector.
“They do not adequately meet the demands and ambitions of the growing cultural and creative industry. There are few structured programmes/strategies in schools aimed at identifying and nurturing talents from an early age, which has resulted in under-recognition of pupils/students within the school system,” it states.
The report notes that the sector could do with “career guidance and mentorship programmes across all levels of education.”
Ditto marketing and branding that needs structured local and export strategies to trigger effective local and international consumption, as well as the global visibility of Ugandan creative products. The study notes that compared with other sectors, CCIs are generally inclusive and forward-looking, favouring youth and women, and offering eco-friendly solutions to development challenges.
They also boost related sectors, including tourism and manufacturing. Availability of creative content drives manufacturing and sales of electronic devices (such as TV sets, tablets, and smartphones). For this reason, the fourth National Development Plan (NDPIV) identifies the creative industries as a key driver of wealth and job creation.
Way forward
Among the policy recommendations are harmonising the institutional and regulatory framework; streamlining the leadership of the different creative domains to ensure effective coordination and management; repealing and amending outdated legislation to align with current.
Others are emerging trends in the creative industry; develop and improve infrastructure for production, distribution, promotion and preservation of creative goods and services; improve market access and visibility for Uganda’s creative goods and services; and close the skills gaps. Prof Pamela Kasabiti Mbabazi, NPA’s chairperson, says the body is cognisant of the significance of CCIs to the economy.
“With a rich and diverse cultural heritage, a rising middle class and youthful population, which are key drivers of demand for the creative content across the world, the potential for jobs and wealth creation from Uganda’s creative industries is huge,” she said during the 14th National Development Policy Forum (NDPF).
“Therefore, as part of the strategic direction of the country over the next five years, the government has identified the culture and creative industries as a priority for job creation and revenue generation. However, numerous gaps continue to persist within the industry, with its contribution to Uganda’s economy not properly understood and quantified,” she adds.
Prof Mbabazi says the NPA report provides evidence-based policy recommendations and interventions intended to address the different challenges affecting the creative industry, with the intention to unlock its potential in job creation, revenue mobilisation and cultural preservation. Mr Amos Lugoloobi, the junior Finance minister, commends NPA for this diagnostic study.
“The study could not have come at a better time. The government has chosen the CCIs to be the centre of our 15-Year 10-Fold Economic Growth Strategy due to their huge potential for job creation and revenue generation. But of course, the value of culture and creativity lies not only in its economic strength,” he says.
He adds: “Just as important is the less tangible contribution that they make to our national life. The different creative works bring joy to millions of people. They foster unity, give us a common currency. They help to define and build our sense of national character.” Minister Lugoloobi also says the tangible contributions of CCIs mean that State actors should not overlook problems that assail them.
“I can confirm that the huge challenge of intellectual property and copyright protection is a priority for the government. We are committed to finalising the amendment of the Copyright and Neighbouring Act (2006) to provide creators with real control, transparency and ensure that they can license their content and even use it as collateral to access funding,” he discloses, adding, “We have heard creators’ concerns and we recognise the worry that Artificial Intelligence is an existential threat to livelihoods. However, there is no value without content. Therefore, as we think about formulating an Artificial Intelligence (AI) strategy, creatives will be at the core of it.”
‘We hear you’
Minister Lugoloobi acknowledges that the value chains for the different creative industries are weakened by the inadequacy of proper and functioning infrastructure such as production studios, theatres, cinemas, public libraries, art galleries, artist residency facilities, performance venues, co-workspaces and community halls.
“Therefore, in the medium-term, government plans to redevelop the National Theatre to increase its capacity and repurpose it as a national multipurpose hub for all the creative domains. In the long-term, we plan to establish fully equipped regional multi-purpose creative hubs, public libraries and museums for young artists and practitioners, through public-private partnership (PPP) arrangements,” Minister Lugoloobi reveals.
“As already noted, the growth potential of the cultural and creative industries is huge, but the investments are often wrongly deemed too risky by the prospective financiers. There are many creative start-ups that struggle to scale up.
The government plans to make the necessary investments to enable the creative businesses to thrive and grow,” he adds. Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja concurs with the junior Finance minister, saying the inroads CCIs have made should not go unnoticed.
“Our artists, cultural practitioners, and creative entrepreneurs have continued to shine both regionally and globally. Yet, the huge economic potential of Uganda’s creative industries remains untapped. This must end,” Premier Nabbanja offers.
“As government, we acknowledge that the works of the artists, cultural practitioners, and creative entrepreneurs are a vital part of our national life and our national economy. The creative industries attract a disproportionate number of youths and have a multiplier effect on other sectors, including tourism and manufacturing. This makes investing in the cultural and creatives industry a key priority for combating youth unemployment, given that over 77 percent of our population are youth below the age of 30, as well as, wealth creation,” she says.
The prime minister says President Museveni has committed to supporting the cultural and creative industries through a multi-pronged approach to address their challenges and harness the opportunities therein. “However, our support will go beyond the financial. For instance, through the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, we shall continue to protect our cultural heritage and promote our cultural diversity, which are sources of inspiration and strong determinants of creativity,” she says. Premier Nabbanja also notes that tracking the performance of the sector is of utmost importance.
“The Uganda Bureau of Statistics and Bank of Uganda should start tracking the economic contribution of the creative industries, including employment, revenue generation, and exports. This will guide the government to monitor the impact of initiatives aimed at fostering growth within the creative industries, formulate evidence-based policies, allocate resources more efficiently as well as inform future planning.”
The government, per the prime minister, will consider the recommendations by the forum to help shape the structure around which the creative and cultural economy develops.
