Ugandas DOADOA LIVE Series Empowers Women Artists Amid Industry Inequities

When the ONOMO Hotel in Kampala opened its doors in early July 2026, it launched a new performing‑arts platform that puts women at the heart of Uganda’s music scene. The DOADOA LIVE series—an initiative of the Bayimba Foundation in partnership with Live Traces Producing and backed by Africalia—spanned from 4 July to October 2026 and delivered five showcases that fused runway fashion, DJ sets, and live performances by both up‑and‑coming and established female artists.

The series emerged to address a pronounced gender imbalance in Uganda’s creative economy. Although women constitute over 55.8 % of the nation’s creative workforce, the sector’s financial rewards are unevenly distributed. Organizers emphasise that DOADOA LIVE is not just about spotting talent; it aims to nurture sustainable careers, giving artists the resources to tour, grow, and earn a living.

Kampala‑based artist Vini Mercy—who fuses music, spoken word, and film—described how the series bridges cultural divides. "My visual style captures different landscapes and ways of life between places, leading people to see a bit of Moyo, Adjumani, and Entebbe," she said. "I’m inspired by creating an artistic way to share where I come from and provide inclusion of a culture they said was forgotten." Mercy also pointed out the lack of female role models, noting that most of her mentors are men.

DOADOA LIVE dovetails with recent findings from the International Centre for Research on Women (ICRW). Their "Behind the Scenes" project has issued recommendations for seven African nations, calling for policy reforms at both national and continental levels to back women in creative fields.

Uncle Runo, the director of Runo Concepts, highlighted a systemic blind spot: "Yes, there are some opportunities emerging in Uganda, but the bigger problem is that music managers still have to figure out the financial side largely on their own." He advocates treating management as a business enterprise, stressing the need for training in contracts, cash flow, sponsorships, royalties, and taxation.

The CMH Live team, operators of the CMH Academy, described the showcases as a 360‑degree development ecosystem. "These events have been an opportunity to showcase artists we have trained through the CMH Academy program, giving them a chance to share the stage with established names," the team said. Headliners like Rachel Magoola performed alongside younger female artists, forging intergenerational links.

From July to September 2026, the series staged five industry showcases that blended runway presentations, DJ sets, and evening line‑ups of women artists. The events also reached 100 students at the University of Kisubi Inter‑University Challenge, where masterclasses on professional development were offered to student designers and models.

Nevertheless, the initiative has encountered obstacles. The team admitted that a shortage of women instrumentalists hampers the formation of full bands around headline acts. "Challenges to working with a wider range of women instrumentalists reflect a wider ecosystem dominated by jobbing male musicians," the team said.

Despite these setbacks, momentum is accelerating. The showcases have outgrown the current venue, prompting organizers to seek new partnerships, such as a recent collaboration with the Kampala Literature Festival.

Artist Akisa, who appeared at the fifth edition, thanked the organisers for the chance. "I wanna start by saying thank you so much for giving me this opportunity to perform at DOADOA Live. Where I come from, artists rarely get this opportunity to perform outside Gulu. I loved the opportunity you gave me to get my own band and create my own team," Akisa said. She also praised the rehearsal space and refreshments as a welcome gesture.

Looking ahead, DOADOA LIVE intends to forge long‑term relationships with creatives, offering networking, resources, advice, and mentorship. By moving the focus from talent to business sustainability, the initiative is laying the groundwork for a more inclusive and economically vibrant Ugandan music industry.

The series fits into a wider Bayimba Foundation effort to advance the Sustainable Development Goals through cultural investment. Partnering with Africalia and Live Traces Producing, DOADOA LIVE shows how targeted programming can tackle systemic gender inequities in the creative economy.

The initiative’s impact is already evident in the heightened visibility and market access for women artists, and the series’ expansion plans point to a sustained push for equity in East Africa’s performing‑arts market.