After nearly six years at the helm of Operations at Operation Wealth Creation, Damalie Owori has taken on a new national assignment as the Director of Creatives and Member-Based Organizations.
Uganda’s creative sector is entering an interesting new chapter following the appointment of Sylvia Damalie Owori as Director of Creatives and Member-Based Organisations at Operation Wealth Creation (OWC). The appointment comes as OWC restructures its directorates to align with its new establishment and strengthen delivery of its socio-economic transformation mandate. Owori is among the newly appointed directors under the restructured institution.
What happens when someone who has already worked closely with creatives is given an entire directorate dedicated to them?
Sylvia spent nearly six years leading OWC’s Operations Directorate before handing over the position as part of the restructuring. In reflecting on the transition, she said the experience exposed her to community development, cooperatives, agro-industrialisation, coffee and other value chains, and that she would carry those lessons into her new assignment. (x handle)
Could Northern Uganda Have Been a Testing Ground?
Sylvia’s relationship with the creative sector in Northern Uganda has already attracted attention. Through her involvement with the WALK Creative Arts Foundation, which brought together the West Nile, Acholi, Lango and Karamoja regions, she established an effort to organize and strengthen creatives in the region. Reporting at the time indicated that the initiative sought to create structures around the creative industry, including a proposal, constitution, financial structures and a SACCO.
The initiative also sought to connect creativity with economic opportunities. In 2025, OWC supported creative artists under WALK with 2.5 million coffee seedlings and 30 tonnes maize seeds, encouraging artists to diversify into commercial agriculture rather than depending entirely on artistic income. That approach reveals something important about Sylvia’s philosophy: the creative artist is not simply an entertainer. The artist can also be an entrepreneur, farmer, employer, investor and member of an organized economic community. And that could become particularly important in her new role.
From individual artists to organised creative enterprises,
Uganda’s creative industry is enormous, but much of its potential remains fragmented. Musicians, filmmakers, comedians, fashion designers, visual artists, writers, cultural practitioners, producers, photographers, event managers and other creative professionals often operate individually or through loosely organised groups.
OWC has previously recognised nine broad creative domains, including music, performing arts, visual arts, fashion, books and publishing, software and innovation, culture and national heritage, support services and collecting services.
Owori’s new directorate could therefore have a much wider mandate than simply supporting musicians, the real opportunity may be to turn creativity into organised economic activity. That could mean stronger creative associations, cooperatives, SACCOs, production companies, intellectual-property awareness, access to finance, market linkages, skills development and connections between Ugandan creatives and international markets.
The Common Questions?
A director can open doors, but the real measure of leadership will ultimately be what happens after the doors are opened.
Will more young artists access opportunities?
Will creatives outside Kampala receive greater attention?
Will women in the creative economy have stronger platforms?
Will creative groups become financially sustainable?
Will intellectual property and royalties receive greater attention?
Will government-supported creative programmes reach actual artists rather than remaining at organisational level?