Yenze Theatre Conservatoire
Img: Winner, of the Acting Arena 4th Edition, Mark Agume, with the Judges. Photo by Jackson Twinomugisha
At the start of 2025, an initiative was launched to spot new talent in Uganda. Our mission was simple yet bold: to inspire creativity and provide visibility for unique talent through healthy competition. The goal was ambitious; we would host an acting competition every two months, five in total.
It wasn’t that there was some magical fairy funding the whole thing, far from it. But that didn’t stop us. The Acting Arena! The definition was in the name; it needed little to no explanation.
From the very first edition, it was a success. The vision came to life. Producers and directors attended and were already booking actors for upcoming projects. Online, we received numerous requests from actors across the region, from Tanzania to Kenya, asking, “Is this competition only for Ugandans?” Our swift reply was, “No! It’s for all talent in the region.”
By the third edition, however, our budget was showing signs of dehydration. Motivation among the planning committee began to dip, understandably so. Audience expectations were rising, but our manpower and finances were not. The challenge became: how do we deliver a quality competition affordably and sustainably? The math wasn’t mathing. Creativity is expensive. Quality is expensive.
Then, in one of our Zoom meetings, a committee member lifted our spirits, saying, “Guys, we can do it. Let’s just see what God does.” That was all the encouragement we needed. On the outside, it may have looked like we’d hit the jackpot, but on the inside, we were witnessing a live miracle as our audience grew and well-wishers began to contribute.
Now, as we plan for our fifth and final edition of the year, accomplishing the very goal we set out in January, The Acting Arena has grown to over 500 online followers. Our audience has been so consistent that we’ve had to move to a larger venue to accommodate more people. We’re one step closer to that mega vision.
When you expect rain, look for the clouds, and our clouds are here. The Producers Guild of Uganda has come on board to support The Acting Arena and offer a monologue training workshop. Truly, “If you want to go far, go together.”
The performing arts industry in Uganda holds tremendous potential for our creative economy. With unified effort, we can harness the power of our individual strengths. We remain hopeful about attracting funders and achieving sustainability, but even as we do, we celebrate the powerful social capital that binds and uplifts us.
Join us for the grand finale of The Acting Arena and celebrate the incredible talent rising from Uganda and East Africa. 4th December, Hotel Africana 6 PM. UGX 35k.
If you would like to participate in the competition, register your 3-5-minute monologue in the competition by 23rd November using this link: bit.ly/actingarena. Call 0760382711 for details.
Your support, whether by attending, sharing, or donating, helps keep the creative spirit alive and thriving.
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A performing arts enterprise enabling artists to thrive through Film/theatre productions, trainings and management.
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