Following the end of its tenure, Uganda National Culture Centre (UNCC) Board of Directors led by its chairman Sam Okello Okello is set to be replaced by new members to take the body ahead.
The new Board is to come amid two divergent arguments on who should run the Arts and Creative industry between Artistes and technocrats.
A section that believes artistes and creatives should run their sector explains that only them can rightfully handle their artistic related issues, on the other hand however technocrats are still believed to be suitable because Artistes are still wanting in areas of formal administration.
In a bid to strike a balance for both, our close sources intimated to us that there are artistes who are being fronted for the UNCC Board membership so as to ensure direct key decision making that is inclusive of top artistic priorities.
Anong those fronted include Jose Chameleon, Bebe Cool, Phina Mugerwa, Ronald Mayinja and Halima Namakuka among others.
A board of Directors is a group of people who represent the interests of a company or organization of its shareholders and in this case members. It further offers update to the organizations management without getting involved in day-to-day operations.
Although scattered in various Ministries, Departments and Agencies, the governance and administration of Arts and Culture largely falls under Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Developlment with UNCC as its Implementing Agency and the private sector organised under National Culture Forum (NCF).
The key Issues that the sector jointly built consensus on are – Revival of the fully fledged Arts and Culture Ministry, Infrastructure, Sector Financing and Copyright Alignment.
Aming the above, Ammendment of the Copyright Act is on-going with the Law Reform Commission having harmonised and consulted on the principal.
With the coming of more artistes on the UNCC Board, the sector will now only wait to see how far they push for the remaining aspects to be achieved.
