Abdul Kinyenya, a Choreographer and entrepreneur
Experts in the creative artists industry have urged stakeholders to partner with them to develop the sector through enabling them access opportunities including business classes aimed at supporting them to access credit from financial institutions.
They say that this will help them set up digital and other platforms to remain in business. The artists say that they are facing various challenges during the COVID19 lockdown with closer of all physical market places where they operate from.
During an online webinar live chat today morning organized by Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD), Abdul Kinyenya, a Choreography and Entrepreneur said there is need to partner with MGLSD, and other stakeholders to enable them access lessons in basic business ethics, taxation and intellectual property among others.
“While young creative artists want to know how to protect and develop their works, they also need to get bank loans, tax breaks. We need to partner with the ministry (of Labour) to have at least weekly lessons on basic business ethics, intellectual property and taxation,” he said in his submission on the website seminar.
Juliana Akoryo Naumo, Commissioner, Culture and Family Affairs at MGLSD, who also moderated the webinar, advised creative artists to work with various stakeholders including digital organizations, government, NGOs to improve the sector.
She added that after registering the artists, there need to digitalise the creative works through negotiating with partners like NITA-U to provide data platforms.
The Director, Intellectual Property Directorate at Uganda Registration Service Bureau (URSB), Mercy K. Kainobwisho, applauded the contribution the creative industry including music, film, fashion, advertisers, among others for their effort in knowledge development, preservation of culture, marketing, advertising and others which she says are enhancing human development and enjoyment.
She however noted that though there is closure of physical market spaces for artists during this COVID 19 lockdown, there still exists infrastructure legislation that supports online spaces that artists can leverage to enable hope and solutions for the creative industry.
“Though there are empty stadiums, theatres, cinema halls, artists can use online platforms and if artists have home studios, they can upload online. As a regulator, we recognize the contribution of the creative industry that’s why we create good foundations to benefit members. We have enforced for example the copy rights law to reduce duplication. We need to inform members of the existing structures like digital spaces,” she said.
By Drake Nyamugabwa
