Africa-Press – Uganda. The National Planning Authority (NPA) has called for a complete overhaul of the creative and cultural industry’s framework.
The call is part of the recommendations by a sector diagnostic study conducted by NPA on the creative industry.
According to the study, whereas the policy and legal framework is elaborate, there are issues related to policy fragmentation and relevance to today’s dynamic and digital environment, implementation and enforcement.
“ Regulation of the creative industries is fragmented across several ministerial portfolios, often leading 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 culture and creative industries has led to inefficiencies, confusion, and high compliance costs for industry stakeholders,”the study shows.
It says there are weaknesses related to copy right, intellectual property and the existing collective rights management organizations which has resulted into 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 study
The study by the National Planning Authority which was informed by consultation on government bodies, artists, legal experts, and cultural stakeholders says whereas 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 programs/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,” the study says.
“ Career guidance and mentorship programs across all levels of education are lacking which has led to students making uninformed career choices and underutilization of their creative potential. Furthermore, the inadequate publicly funded skilling facilities for the creative artists has severely limited opportunities for Uganda’s creative talents, most of whom are self-taught.”
According to the study, the ancillary goods and services provided by urban authorities or the private sector to facilitate or enable the creation, production, dissemination or exhibition of cultural works are very limited with private sector investment mostly concentrated in Kampala and a few urban centers, sparse professional-grade theatres, cinemas, and co-working hubs.
“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 study also indicates that the proportion of the national budget allocated to the culture and creative industries is low, which has hindered effective implementation of the policies, programs and planned activities supporting the creative industry.
“Over the last previous years, overall government spending on the culture and creative industries hovered at 0.1% of the national budget.”
Recommendations
Speaking at the 14th National Development Policy Forum in Kampala, Joseph Muvawala, the NPA executive director, said the recommendations of the study aim to reposition Uganda’s creative sector as a vibrant contributor to employment, cultural identity, and international visibility.
“There is need for creation of a dedicated culture and creative industries department within the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development charged with coordinating culture and creatives industries-related policy implementation, supporting sustainable growth in the sector, and facilitating research and marketing of Uganda’s rich cultural exports. The department would be structured around UNESCO’s six key categories, ranging from visual arts to literature, to ensure comprehensive sectoral support,” Muvawala said.
He also noted that the current laws governing the creatives industry are outdated, citing the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act (2006) which cant address digital piracy and the Uganda National Cultural Centre (UNCC) Act.
According to Muvawala, the cultural and creative industries hold immense potential for contributing to economic growth, through job creation, domestic revenue, and the global recognition of the country’s rich cultural heritage but noted a lot has to change, if the country can benefit from this potential.
“ In order to fully unlock the economic potential of Uganda’s creatives and culture industry, government should help shape the structure around which the creative and cultural economy develops including intellectual property regulations; local of creative infrastructure and cultural facilities; technology, internet and other telecommunications quality and access; tax regimes; education policies from school to tertiary; rights and status of artists; as well as, financial and administrative support,” Muvawala said.
“ It is essential that Uganda adopts a unified approach that nurtures local talent and ensures that the country’s cultural and creative assets are marketed and protected effectively. With the right investments in policy, infrastructure, and human capital, Uganda’s culture and creative 74 industries can become a significant driver of economic growth, cultural exchange, and global influence.”
Speaking during the function, the state minister for finance, Amos Lugoloobi hailed the National Planning Authority for the study that he said has come at the right time as government has now turned focus on the creatives industry.
“The government has chosen the creatives and culture industry to be the center of our 15-year 10-fold economic growth strategy due to their huge potential for job creation and revenue generation,” Lugoloobi said.
He said government has listened loud and clear to the pleas of the stakeholders in the sector and is committed to remove the barriers to innovation and creativity.
“So, through the NDPIV, we plan to invest in the creative industries and provide the backing that the artists and creative entrepreneurs need to prosper. I can confirm that the huge challenge of intellectual property and copyright protection is a priority for the government,” Lugoloobi said.
“ We are committed to finalizing the amendment of the Copyright and Neighboring 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. We have heard creators’ concerns and we recognize the worry that artificial AI is an existential threat to livelihoods. However, there is no value without content.”
Source: Nilepost News
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