Comments on: Is the Ugandan art scene on the right path? http://startjournal.org/2011/10/is-the-ugandan-art-scene-on-the-right-path/ Sat, 08 Jun 2013 06:04:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Dominic Muwanguzi http://startjournal.org/2011/10/is-the-ugandan-art-scene-on-the-right-path/#comment-4273 Dominic Muwanguzi Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:02:29 +0000 http://startjournal.org/?p=3153#comment-4273 Thanks readers for your comments. I am glad somebody out there is interested in what write at StartJournal. The suggestion of getting government involved sounds perfect,but before we move up there, we need to involve the local people. I have indulged many artists on what should be done about promoting visuals and all of them seem to agree we need to create a local market for it. This i know is very easy. Ugandans in recent times have become more affluent and exposed in their tastes and we need them to part with that hefty salary they receive at the end of the month. I have always advocated for a "Collectors Art Exhibition". I already know a handful of Ugandan businessmen who are into the culture of collecting art. We can start by involving them; exhibit their collection to their friends. With in a period of two or so years, everybody will be interested. Art is a class commodity everybody who wants to be defined as classy and sophisticated would want to be associated with. Secondly, Ugandans can spend huge sums of money in buying houses and decorating them. Its a culture that is fast catching on among the corporate class. Why not have the artists do some murals on these houses- "bungalows"? The trick is to get the people down here interested and if government sees that everybody is buying and collecting art, it will jump onto the bandwagon. Let us all love local art because it will give us identity. That is the way to go. Thanks readers for your comments. I am glad somebody out there is interested in what write at StartJournal.
The suggestion of getting government involved sounds perfect,but before we move up there, we need to involve the local people.
I have indulged many artists on what should be done about promoting visuals and all of them seem to agree we need to create a local market for it.
This i know is very easy. Ugandans in recent times have become more affluent and exposed in their tastes and we need them to part with that hefty salary they receive at the end of the month.
I have always advocated for a “Collectors Art Exhibition”. I already know a handful of Ugandan businessmen who are into the culture of collecting art. We can start by involving them; exhibit their collection to their friends. With in a period of two or so years, everybody will be interested. Art is a class commodity everybody who wants to be defined as classy and sophisticated would want to be associated with.
Secondly, Ugandans can spend huge sums of money in buying houses and decorating them. Its a culture that is fast catching on among the corporate class. Why not have the artists do some murals on these houses- “bungalows”?
The trick is to get the people down here interested and if government sees that everybody is buying and collecting art, it will jump onto the bandwagon.
Let us all love local art because it will give us identity. That is the way to go.

]]> By: Joe Pollitt http://startjournal.org/2011/10/is-the-ugandan-art-scene-on-the-right-path/#comment-4112 Joe Pollitt Thu, 13 Oct 2011 12:00:34 +0000 http://startjournal.org/?p=3153#comment-4112 Moses you are truly parting the waters with your words. Wonderful stuff: Here are the bones of an idea for assisting a Health Insurance Policy for the Artists of Uganda. This is what has been done with the Market Sellers in Nigeria - Could these same ideals be re-skinned for working artists in Uganda? http://africanartists.blogspot.com/2011/03/initative-health-insurance-programme-in.html Moses you are truly parting the waters with your words. Wonderful stuff:

Here are the bones of an idea for assisting a Health Insurance Policy for the Artists of Uganda. This is what has been done with the Market Sellers in Nigeria – Could these same ideals be re-skinned for working artists in Uganda?

http://africanartists.blogspot.com/2011/03/initative-health-insurance-programme-in.html

]]> By: Moses http://startjournal.org/2011/10/is-the-ugandan-art-scene-on-the-right-path/#comment-4111 Moses Thu, 13 Oct 2011 11:23:28 +0000 http://startjournal.org/?p=3153#comment-4111 Joe, that is a perfect suggestion. A structure such as that could really encourage artists to know that there is ready market for their art-works. What is the value of importing art work for the new president's office, when we have a huge pool of not only talented but important artists at the moment, who have something to contribute to the history of Art in this country; who have something to say that can transcend today's politics and stand the test of time. Because we are in the business of thinking that art is unimportant, but the contribution it makes to our society is entirely noticeable, and with that we must reconsider our priorities, especially when it comes to government spending. Joe,

that is a perfect suggestion. A structure such as that could really encourage artists to know that there is ready market for their art-works. What is the value of importing art work for the new president’s office, when we have a huge pool of not only talented but important artists at the moment, who have something to contribute to the history of Art in this country; who have something to say that can transcend today’s politics and stand the test of time.

Because we are in the business of thinking that art is unimportant, but the contribution it makes to our society is entirely noticeable, and with that we must reconsider our priorities, especially when it comes to government spending.

]]> By: Joe Pollitt http://startjournal.org/2011/10/is-the-ugandan-art-scene-on-the-right-path/#comment-4101 Joe Pollitt Thu, 13 Oct 2011 07:19:16 +0000 http://startjournal.org/?p=3153#comment-4101 There needs to be a bill passed in Parliament whereby 1% of an overall spend of all new buildings throughout Uganda be designated to the purchasing of art. Companies need incentives to support the Arts - this could come in the form of Tax Breaks for supporting various projects. Therefore they win on the promotional side and on the tax side too. There needs to be a Benevolent Fund for all artists - this would include, artist, writers, poets and all those that have been exhibited abroad or been published. There needs to be more of a culture of eccentric philanthropy - Monthly fund raising events where the rich can show off their cars and wives.. Wasswa has the energy to light a small city so I'm sure all things are in progress already! Best of luck guys and to the extraordinary ladies such as Sheila Black and Wasswa's Mum and all the wonderful women in Uganda. There needs to be a bill passed in Parliament whereby 1% of an overall spend of all new buildings throughout Uganda be designated to the purchasing of art.

Companies need incentives to support the Arts – this could come in the form of Tax Breaks for supporting various projects. Therefore they win on the promotional side and on the tax side too.

There needs to be a Benevolent Fund for all artists – this would include, artist, writers, poets and all those that have been exhibited abroad or been published. There needs to be more of a culture of eccentric philanthropy – Monthly fund raising events where the rich can show off their cars and wives..

Wasswa has the energy to light a small city so I’m sure all things are in progress already! Best of luck guys and to the extraordinary ladies such as Sheila Black and Wasswa’s Mum and all the wonderful women in Uganda.

]]> By: meniez http://startjournal.org/2011/10/is-the-ugandan-art-scene-on-the-right-path/#comment-4099 meniez Thu, 13 Oct 2011 07:06:05 +0000 http://startjournal.org/?p=3153#comment-4099 It's good to have lots of art of different artists around, but the issue is getting the population in understanding and appreciating the cause It’s good to have lots of art of different artists around, but the issue is getting the population in understanding and appreciating the cause

]]> By: kayiwa http://startjournal.org/2011/10/is-the-ugandan-art-scene-on-the-right-path/#comment-3734 kayiwa Tue, 04 Oct 2011 16:22:06 +0000 http://startjournal.org/?p=3153#comment-3734 This is fantastic for the Ugandan Artists i just have to encourage you go ahead my friends This is fantastic for the Ugandan Artists i just have to encourage you
go ahead my friends

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