Government to support Performing arts

Gulu; The State Minister for Micro Finance Hon. Haruna Kasolo has announced that the government would release Shs 5.6 billion the following week to support promoters whose events were canceled following the Covid-19 lockdown.

He said this while meeting with leaders of 41 associations from the different domains that makeup the National Culture Forum –NCF in Gulu after they invited by General Salim Saleh, the Chief Coordinator of Operation Wealth Creation(OWC).

The further promised to follow up on the release of funds for the performing Arts Emyooga following a complaint by creatives.

On his part, General Salim Saleh expressed great pleasure that there organisation of the sector had began to take shape. He pledged to ensure that Creatives access seed capital. He requested the organisations present to name their leaders for a subsequent retreat that will sort out all outstanding organizational issues in the sector.

The meeting was attended by Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), Micro Finance Support Centre, the Minister of Microfinance, Uganda National Cultural Centre (UNCC0, National Union of Creative Performing Artists & Allied Workers-NUCPAAW; promoters among others.

Key on the agenda for the meeting was the need to harmonise Culture and Creative Industries associations to make it easy for interventions by government and stakeholders.

NCF made a presentation focusing on interventions required to boost the creative sector including expediting the release of the Stimulus Fund; strengthening the capacity of the NCF; expanding markets for cultural goods and services especially in government offices, copyright licensing and royalty collections amongst others.