The Trouble with art in Uganda

Uganda Fri 20-05-2011

The Trouble with art in Uganda
By Bamuturaki Musinguzi/ The East African

For Ugandan artist Nuwa Wamala-Nnyanzi, a prophet is never honoured at home. Not by the government, in particular.

Nuwa, who has held highly successful exhibitions in South Africa and the US, says were the Uganda government as supportive of the arts as other governments are, he and fellow artists would be fairly wealthy.

^{No time to chat by Nuwa Nnyanzi}

In the US, for instance, artists get tax waivers on raw materials and generous state support, besides lucrative endowment funds.

“When I exhibit in the US, I am welcomed and supported. But in Uganda, I am charged all manner of fee, — rent, taxes and commissions on exhibition sales.

“In developed countries, the cost of exhibition space and art production material is subsidised by the government,” he adds.

Nnyanzi, a self-taught artist, says the late Ugandan president Idi Amin was an avid art collector and supporter of the creative industry.

Ugandan artist Nnuwa Nnyanzi at his studio

^{Artist Nuwa Nnyanzi in his studio. Photo/Morgan Mbabazi}

He says the potential and power of the industry has not been fully appreciated by Yoweri Museveni’s National Resistance Movement government — now in its 25-year in power.

Read more here from The EastAfrican.

Posted By: Maggie Otieno

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