Uganda COVID-19 report: Govt needs to do more for creatives

The report, titled COVID-19 and Its Impact on Uganda’s Creative Industry, is based on an online survey conducted between 17 March and 1 April. The areas covered by the report are, impact on visual and performing arts in Uganda, the need for government intervention, how the sector is coping amid a crisis, the emergency interventions in the arts sector, and reflections of stakeholders during and after a crisis. 

With Western countries supporting artists and other creatives, the report calls for the Ugandan government to intervene by offering relief funds to soften the economic impact caused by COVID-19 pandemic. It says that "73% of artists and arts organisations believe that the government has not done much to support the creative industry."

The report adds that Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube Live have allowed artists to perform from their homes or private studios in hope of earning money and keeping their fans engaged. Creatives are also using their time to work remotely on new projects, it said, adding that the Internet has emerged as a potential revenue source for musicians even after the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Seventy-three percent of the artists expressed that through this crisis, the world is now interconnected like never before and challenges like these are bound to always disrupt business as usual in the future. They contend that the silver lining with this crisis is that it will give birth to new business models for artists on digital platforms," the report says. 

KQ Hub Africa reported that the country's entertainment sector had lost more than 500 million Ugandan shillings ($130 000) from the cancellation of over 300 events, which had affected 700 artists.

"Eighty percent of artist and artist-organisation respondents rely on these community events for a large proportion of their income to supplement their freelance earnings and sustain their livelihoods," the report says.

"Now that this isn't the case, they fear this will affect them greatly. Artists are wondering what they all are going to do in this crisis. Most artists, managers, booking agents, DJs, sound engineers and bar staff have little or no savings, relying on regular gigs to cover their living costs."

The report was written by KQ Hub Africa founder Joseph Ian Wabwire and supported by Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung in Uganda. 

Download the full report below (attached).