The arts

The fine arts are almost entirely consumed and practiced by the Westernized elites. Nonetheless, a small but active group of local artists—painters, sculptors, poets, and playwrights—displays their work in local galleries and theaters. Folk art is widely collected and generates significant revenue. Collectors from all over the world prize Uganda's ethnic arts. Scenes from Ugandan history and legend are incised on hardwood shields or screens in this popular form. Ironworking, ceramics, and batik, a textile painting technique introduced to Uganda by Southeast Asian immigrants, are also popular. Two Ugandan painters, David Kibuuka and Henry Lutalo Lumu (1939-89), used elements of Western painting, such as oil-based paints, to express African themes and lived outside the country.

Traditional Ugandan music employs instruments such as the lyre, marimba (xylophone), and thumb piano (see lamellaphone). Both Ugandan and foreign music have a large following in the country. Uganda's well-known Afrigo Band, which combines traditional and popular musical elements, tours internationally on a regular basis and has released a number of recordings. Congolese music is extremely popular in the country, and it represents the return of musicians from that region, reviving a cultural exchange that existed until the 1970s. In most towns and commercial centers, there are numerous discos, pubs, and bars where live music is performed.