2018 is the European Year of Cultural Heritage. It is a celebration aiming to showcase Europe’s heritages as a unique, rich and diverse mosaic of cultural and creative expression. This Year we pay tribute to museums, monuments, artworks, historic cities, literature, music, audio-visual works, and natural, built, and archaeological sites of interest. In doing so, we recognise the intangible elements of cultural heritage, including the knowledge, practices, and traditions of European people. The European Union Delegation to Uganda is firmly committed to promote the same message and values in this beautiful and rich country.

I am pleased, therefore, to announce that we will support the Kampala Art Biennale, now in its third edition and titled this year: The Studio.

We share the same vision with the organising partners of this important event – the Kampala Arts Trust and l’Agence à Paris – who are working to revitalize olden practices needed in our contemporary world particularly to pass on knowledge, practices, and traditions to the youth.

Through The Studio, the European Union will support young Ugandan, East African, African and international artists to learn as apprentices from seven internationally renowned artists who are opening their studios in Kampala. The Masters cover all different aspects of contemporary art including: sculpture, textile, performance, photography, video, painting, installation, etc.

Cultural heritage is both the inheritance from previous generations and the legacy for those to come.

Cultural heritage is not only an important resource for social cohesion, economic growth and employment, but it also strengthens people’s sense of belonging and their cultural identity. We invite you to join us and share in this important celebration.

Attilio Pacifici Ambassador–Head of Delegation
European Union Delegation to Uganda