The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ugandan government plans to seek funding from the World Bank to train and equip its artistes with technical skills to meet international standards, the Minister of State for Gender and Culture Affairs, Peace Mutuuzo revealed.
Peace Mutuuzo said the government has concluded plans to skill the creative artists under the MasterCard Foundation supported by the World Bank through the Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) Project.
“Most artistes are self-made. Talent is abundant but limited technical skills. Workforce training is a key need for the sector. Some work has already started to bridge the skills gap among creatives,” Mutunzo told Parliament.
She said the government also intends to establish a fund to support the creative industry, which was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As a government, we are planning to create a fund ring-fenced to support the creative artistes considering the unique nature of their business. We also intend to mobilize and attract financial products and partners to support the financing of the creative industry in Uganda,” she said.
The creative industry in Uganda includes music, film, fashion, visual arts, crafts, and performing arts. According to the Uganda National Cultural Center, the sector contributes about Shs 7.5 billion to Uganda’s gross domestic product and employs over 150,000 people.
