By Bayan Nalubwama
Visual artists have been advised to utilize space at the Uganda National Cultural Center’s revamped Nommo gallery.
While addressing journalists during the officiation of the portfolio review workshop that was held at Nommo gallery on Tuesday, Fred Mutebi, UNCC board member representing visual artists called upon all creatives to go and utilize the space at the National gallery.
“If there is an artist out there that has created any form of creation as long as it’s visual, let them create there portfolio. A portfolio is form of work that we have created. Let them bring it, we have a curator who can asses it and advice accordingly. If it’s ready for exhibition, we shall showcase and definitely the proceeds will go to the creator in this case, the artist,” He said
Adding: “There are people there who don’t know about the existence of this place maybe this is the opportunity to call upon them to come. For musicians, it’s the national theatre, for visuals, it’s the Nommo gallery and it’s there for every creative person to utilize.”
Nommo gallery is Uganda’s National Art gallery and is a component of the Uganda National Cultural Center (UNCC). It was established in 1964 and of recent, the government of Uganda started renovating the home of visuals.
Read Also: https://ugabuzz.com/uncc-nommo-gallery-lists-participants-for-portfolio-workshop/
Mutebi also revealed that even though the refurbishing is a process that has taken some time, they are hopeful thanks to the good leadership and the commitment of the UNCC team.
“It has been having challenges in the past and right now with the good leadership of the chair of the UNCC and the willingness of the entire team of the UNCC to improve on what we are doing. We are trying to promote it to reach the international level and we are on the right path.
This is a government entity, unless government injects in the required amount of money, we will still linger around. Now that we are at the point where the government has recognized the creatives as part of the development of our country, I think we should now start facilitating places like this, give money that is required for places like this to acquire international standards and therefore giving what we expect from such places. National Theatre requires money, Nommo gallery requires and the government has money, let them bring it then we do the rest.” He said
Robert Musiitwa, Head of Public Relations at Uganda National Cultural Center, said that Nommo gallery and the UNCC are back at the same time and the main purpose for the portfolio review workshop is to support most of the artists that didn’t know how to package themselves for both regional and global market.
“You find someone with a very good talent, but they cannot put that into a writing, they can’t create there own portfolio, they can’t create their own CV yet we know at a global level, many times even before you get a job to get anywhere, they will ask for your portfolio which is what they depend upon to either give you a job, a scholarship or invite you for a residence which most of our artistes have been lacking,” He said
“We thought it necessary that we give them this opportunity to be able to package themselves and at the end of the workshop we expect the few selected participants to be able to package themselves and also be able to teach others, how portfolios are made.All painters, the crafts people to come use the opportunity when the hype is high to get buyers, partners and funders of their products.” Mr. Robert added
UNCC is a body under ministry of culture that is mandated to preserve, promote, develop and popularize Uganda’s cultural heritage locally and internationally.
