Art in Burundi

Burundi’s arts sector is established but organizationally fragmented. Formal institutions, non-formal educational opportunities and informal cultural practices exist alongside one another. The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture (Ministère de la Jeunesse, des Sports et de la Culture) works on cultural policy, Kirundi, tangible and intangible cultural heritage, artistic creativity, archives, reading promotion and cultural exchange. Other points of contact include the Directorate of Culture, the Copyright Office (OBDA), the network of functional cultural and reading centers (CEBULAC), the Maison de la Culture, the National Museum of Gitega, the Musée Vivant Bujumbura, the Burundi National Commission for UNESCO, the University of Burundi, the Gitega Art School, cultural associations and the Burundi Artisan Platform (Platforme Artisanale du Burundi). Visual art and crafts include, among other things, woven works, papyrus paintings, paintings, sculptures, masks, shields, jewelry, ceramics, and works made of metal and wood. Beadwork and natural dyes are also used. The Burundi Artisan Platform classifies decorative objects, woodcarving and artistic painting as crafts and pursues sales opportunities in domestic and foreign markets. The National Museum of Gitega displays 416 objects and 96 photographs; a further 800 objects are held in reserve. Outdoor exhibitions are also exposed to weather and damage risks. OBDA statistics for 2023 list twelve protected plastic works and one reported visual artist. These reported figures do not provide a reliable measure of the arts sector as a whole. Music and the performing arts have particularly high cultural significance in Burundi. Since 2014, UNESCO has included the ritual dance of the royal drum on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The performance combines synchronized drumming, dance, heroic poetry and traditional songs. Gishora near Gitega is regarded as an important site for this practice; royal drummers (Batimbo) perform it and pass on knowledge, including through arts and drumming training. Cultural associations offer traditional dances. From 2020 to 2023, 270 people took part in the National Drum Festival each year, including 15 from each province. The National Culture Festival recorded 349 participants in 2023, of whom 216 were men and 133 women. In 2023, two national festivals but no regional EAC festival in Burundi were documented. The East African Community cultural platform (JAMAFEST) takes place every two years, was hosted in Burundi in 2022 and is scheduled for Nairobi in 2026. Literature exists alongside printed works and is strongly rooted in oral traditions. Proverbs, narratives, stories, and elegiac and pastoral poetry are among the inherited forms. A UNESCO inventory records 222 elements of intangible cultural heritage. Certain traditional forms of music and poetry are at risk because their knowledge holders are particularly vulnerable or absent. The center network had 56 centers, 25,070 subscribers and 1,109,859 visits in 2023. The University of Burundi provides a platform for creative writing through the Rumuri Literary Prize. Its FASS faculty has three literature departments; they currently operate in French and English, while Kirundi is mentioned as a planned expansion. In 2023, 29 literary works were protected by OBDA. The audiovisual sector includes film and other audiovisual productions. FESTICAB has existed since 2009, was founded by industry professionals and promotes the production and distribution of Burundian, regional and international productions. In 2023, 22 cinemas were recorded. OBDA registered 55 protected audiovisual works and three reported audiovisual artists. These figures demonstrate the existence of an industry, but also fragmented production and distribution capacity. Architecture and design are visible to varying degrees across the regions and are closely connected with craft knowledge. The University of Burundi offers, through the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, among other options, the Aménagement et Urbanisme option. The program comprises six semesters of theory and practice as well as one semester of practical training, with 180 study credits and 30 practical-training credits. Depending on higher-education regulations, graduates may then enter the profession or pursue a master’s degree. The Gishora Royal Residence is on UNESCO’s Tentative List in 2026 but is not inscribed as a World Heritage Site. Photographic works and digital art are generally protected under copyright. Burundian copyright law also covers audiovisual works, machine-readable compilations and computer programs. However, the OBDA statistics reviewed contain no separate category for photography or digital art and no documented national specialist program. Meaningful current data on galleries, auctions, prices and an independent funding structure are lacking. Practical access routes depend on the art form and may include registering a work with OBDA, applying for or participating in programs offered by the Directorate of Culture and festivals, the Gitega Art School, the center network, cultural associations, studying at the University of Burundi, practicing in Gishora or taking part in film opportunities through FESTICAB. In 2023, OBDA reported 54 male and one female musician, one visual artist and three audiovisual artists. Reported authors and artists should not be equated with the total number of cultural workers. According to the site information, a visit to Gishora requires advance registration of at least 24 to 48 hours. Uniform national access requirements, selection criteria and prices have not been documented. Copyright is based on Law No. 1/021 of 30 December 2005. Original literary and artistic works receive protection without prior formalities; these include books, music, choreography, audiovisual works, architecture, photography, applied art and works derived from folklore. The author is initially the rights holder. Rights transfers should be made in writing. Performers require appropriate consent for the broadcasting, recording, reproduction, distribution or making available to the public of their performances. Organizers should report the exact program, retain evidence, pay remuneration and respect moral and intellectual rights. The protection period is generally the author’s lifetime plus 50 years; applied art is protected for 25 years. The state has perpetual rights in folklore. For publications in the original language, the researched rule provides for remuneration of at least ten percent of the selling price. National standard fees for artists, festivals and venues, OBDA fees and funding amounts have not been published in the official sources reviewed. Costs therefore depend on the institution, event and contract. For book publications, contracts specify, among other things, print run, term and remuneration. Architecture training at the University of Burundi lasts seven semesters including practical training. The center network operates on an ongoing basis, the National Drum Festival is documented annually and JAMAFEST takes place every two years. Official statistics mainly record registered works, reported artists, infrastructure and use. They measure neither the total market volume nor the economic situation of all cultural workers. Key risks include the loss of knowledge holders in traditional music and poetry, the preservation of museum collections and the limited data on photography, digital art, galleries, auctions, prices and national funding.