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By Patrick Ssentongo – KAMPALA, UGANDA Foreword Uganda’s creative economy is often invisible in policy discussions, yet it is alive, vibrant, and largely youth-driven. From self-taught fashion designers to digital illustrators and freestyle rappers, young Ugandans are finding innovative ways to earn a living and express their culture. This article, written by journalist and storyteller …

Inside Uganda’s Youth-Driven Informal Creative Economy by Patrick Ssentongo Read More »

When Uganda’s 2025/26 national budget was tabled in June, the cultural and creative industries (CCIs) sector barely made a ripple in the financial allocations. Placed within the broader Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development, the sector, spread across nine domains, received a modest increase to UGX 66 billion—a figure that still pales in comparison …

Beyond 1%: Can Uganda’s Cultural Budget Deliver on its Promise? -By Patrick Ssentongo, Uganda Read More »

Whilst African musical genres like Afrobeats and Amapiano continue to dominate global airwaves and streaming platforms, and, African fashion dominates legacy runways and designers receive international awards, at the same time African visual artists and their work is commanding attention in major galleries and international biennales, the continent is yet to fully realize the economic …

From policy to action – the key role of cultural observatories in promoting accelerated growth and the development of the African creative economy- By Tonderai Chiyindiko, Zimbabwe/South Africa Read More »

Mr. Kanayo O. Kanayo (Anayo Modestus Onyekwere), Nollywood Sensation and Lawyer, metaphorically unlocking a padlock during his speech to symbolize what is needed. “One cannot manage what they cannot measure,” he said, stressing the urgency of data, asset mapping, and enforceable IP frameworks. From National Conversation to Regional Momentum: Unleashing Africa’s Creative Economy Through the …

Africa’s Next Boom Will Come from Its People — Not Beneath Its Soils Read More »

Connect for Culture Africa Bridging West Africa Through Culture In a landmark gathering of cultural policymakers, industry experts, and institutional stakeholders, the Connect for Culture Africa (CfCA) initiative convened a West African Regional Roundtable in Segou, Mali from May 17–18, 2025. Framed within the broader goal of “connecting the continent through culture,” the event advanced …

Connect for Culture Africa Bridging West Africa Through Culture Read More »

This reflection is rooted in personal memory but speaks to a larger truth: that for generations, African women have invested in culture—not only as tradition, but as protection, inheritance, and empowerment. In revisiting the practice of gifting gold, this piece invites us to see culture as a quiet yet powerful form of agency. At a …

Gold Is for Hard Times-By Benyaiche Nesrine, Algeria. Read More »

What is the significance of culture for African development? Teshome Wondimu, founder of Selam, takes Africa Day 2025 to reflect upon the huge possibilities for the continent linked to strengthening of the culture and creative industries. Selam’s Executive Director Teshome Wondimu at African Union, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Africa is at once the oldest and the …

Africa Day 2025 – From a Cultural Lens Read More »

By Beatrice Waruinge As part of the Connect for Culture Africa (CfCA) regional program, Selam Ethiopia  hosted a vibrant and inspiring Cartoonist Residency Program in December 2024, bringing together 15 cartoonists—8 male and 7 female—from Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The initiative aimed to highlight the power of visual storytelling in advocating for increased …

Bringing Stories to Life: CfCA Regional Cartoonist Residency Champions Cultural Expression through Visual Art Read More »

Building Movements Through Art: The 2nd Edition of the PANAF Summit 2025 Lack of Artistic Freedom – or rather the freedom for artists to create their works without fear of censorship, retribution or being at odds with the law – is an emerging issue in Africa that has the potential to stifle the growth of …

Panaf Summit 2025 Read More »