In Summary: The initiative, launched as part of the Society’s 70th anniversary celebrations, will bring artists and legal professionals together to explore ways of protecting creative work and improving income opportunities.
Kampala, Uganda — The Uganda Law Society (ULS) has launched a four-week Artist-in-Residence programme aimed at strengthening legal protection for creatives and promoting closer collaboration between lawyers and players in the entertainment industry.
The programme was launched on Thursday at ULS House in Kololo, Kampala, as part of the Society’s 70th anniversary celebrations under the Radical New Bar initiative, ULS@70.
The launch brought together lawyers, musicians, designers and other stakeholders in the creative industry for discussions, performances and recognition of outstanding contributions to Uganda’s arts sector.
Delivering the keynote address, former ULS president Justice Oscar Kihika challenged lawyers to become “architects of protection” for artists, warning that many creatives lose income because they lack knowledge of contracts, copyright laws and the commercial value of their work.
“As ULS celebrates 70 years, we honour this vision of ULS Artist in Residence Pilot, collaboration and enduring relationship between the legal and creative professions. Today, creativity has become increasingly important. We must recognise that value is not found only in commerce and business, but also in creative ideas and possibilities,” he stated.
Kihika urged artists to seek legal advice before entering business arrangements and cautioned them against signing agreements they do not fully understand. “Talent is like a land title and should be protected,” he said, comparing creative abilities to valuable assets that require legal safeguards.
He argued that artists must begin treating their talent, music, designs and other creative works as commercial property whose ownership, use and financial returns should be properly protected.
Calls for copyright law reforms
Justice Kihika said Uganda’s copyright framework needed to respond to technological developments that have transformed how creative content is produced, distributed and monetised.
He particularly pointed to challenges arising from artificial intelligence and digital platforms such as TikTok, which have created new opportunities for content distribution but also raised questions about ownership, reproduction, licensing and payment for creative work.
The former Head of Bar called for reforms to the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act to address emerging challenges and ensure artists benefit from the commercial use of their creations.
Justice Kihika also proposed establishing a committee bringing together representatives of the creative industry, entertainment sector and technology players to examine the challenges and recommend practical solutions.
He further called for stronger collaboration between ULS, the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), Uganda Performing Rights Society (UPRS), Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) and the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development.
Such partnerships, he said, would strengthen copyright registration, enforcement and revenue collection, while helping artists understand and exercise their intellectual property rights.
Kihika also highlighted the potential of Uganda’s creative industry to promote the country’s identity internationally, citing the late Joseph Oryema, who popularised Ugandan music through songs performed in Luo.
Lawyers urged to help artists build businesses
Lawyer and former East African Legislative Assembly MP Mukasa Mbidde said legal professionals had a responsibility to educate creatives about their rights and help them establish sustainable businesses. “As lawyers, we should evolve the creative industry into a corporate industry,” Mbidde said.
He argued that artists needed more than talent to succeed in an increasingly commercialised industry, pointing to the importance of contracts, business structures and legal representation in protecting their earnings.
ULS Vice President Anthony Asiimwe said the residency programme was introduced after the Society identified a gap between legal professionals and artists, despite the growing need for legal services in the creative sector.
“As lawyers, we saw that the art industry needed legal services and also wanted to bridge the gap between the lawyers and artists,” Asiimwe said.
He explained that the four-week programme would provide artists with an opportunity to showcase their work while allowing lawyers to understand the practical challenges affecting creatives.
Artists welcome initiative
Seasoned Musician and lawyer Silver Kyagulanyi welcomed the programme, saying it would help legal professionals understand emerging business opportunities and challenges facing the creative industry, particularly those associated with artificial intelligence.
He encouraged artists to involve lawyers in their business dealings and called for more effective administration and enforcement of copyright laws.
“When the Copyright Act was written, we were happy but for nothing,” Kyagulanyi said, expressing concern about the gap between legal provisions and the practical protection artists receive.
Musician Joanita Kawalya said the creative industry had evolved into an important source of income, making access to legal services increasingly necessary.
She noted that as artists increasingly engage in commercial arrangements, they need professional guidance to protect their work and ensure they receive appropriate benefits from its use.
The Society also presented Lifetime Achievement Awards to Julius Kyazze of Swangz Avenue, Samson Senkaaba, Monica Katoko, Joanita Kawalya, Silver Kyagulanyi and Victor Kamenyo in recognition of their contributions to the creative industry.
Kyazze encouraged lawyers to embrace the entertainment sector, while Kamenyo blamed divisions among artists for weakening their businesses and called for greater organisation within the music industry.
The four-week residency is intended to deepen understanding of intellectual property rights, copyright protection and the commercial side of creative work, while building lasting partnerships between Uganda’s legal fraternity and creative professionals.
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