University of Rwanda to Revive the Arts and Culture Center That Nurtured National Talents

After more than a decade of inactivity, the Arts and Culture Center at the University of Rwanda is set to be revived, university management has announced. The initiative aims to promote students’ talents and restore Huye’s position as a hub of arts, culture, and entertainment.

For many years, talented students at the University of Rwanda expressed concerns that arts and cultural activities within the institution had declined, limiting their opportunities to gain national recognition as was previously the case. In response, the University of Rwanda has renewed its commitment to investing in arts and culture in order to help students develop and showcase their talents.

Some talented students from the university who spoke to Radio Salus said they have high expectations for this initiative.

Jeannette Uwiragiye, a student at the University of Rwanda, Huye Campus, said the university’s decision to support them will be highly beneficial. She explained: “I grew up hearing stories about artists from the university, especially about the Main Auditorium, which was described as a very important venue. At that time, we had not yet had the opportunity to reach the university, and we did not even know that one day we would be there. Unfortunately, when we finally arrived, we found that what we had heard about no longer existed. However, we are now very happy that these activities are coming back. In the near future, we too will become influential figures because the equipment has been made available, we have everything we need, and we have already started training.”

Another student, Niyonsenga Jonathan, also expressed great excitement, saying that the return of arts and culture at the university will be very helpful. He said: “We have already started training, musical instruments are available, and we have trainers who guide and teach us everything. We will also participate in competitions, and those who perform well will be selected to receive different forms of support.”

The University of Rwanda was once a major source of diverse talent through various artistic activities, including drama, singing, traditional and modern dance, and other forms of performance. All these activities were coordinated through the Arts and Culture Center, which ceased operations in 2013.

After speaking with current students about the opportunities now available to them, Radio Salus also spoke to some alumni of the University of Rwanda, who shared their experiences from the period when the center was still operational.

Among them is journalist and artist Bisangwa Nganji Benjamin, who said the Arts and Culture Center was a vital source of knowledge that continues to support many people today. He said: “Joining the university was a great opportunity. Many students discovered their talents once they arrived, even if they were still in the early stages. At that time, the Arts and Culture Center had all the necessary equipment, including guitars, drums, and other instruments. There were competitions involving universities from across Africa, and the University of Rwanda often ranked among the best. This center helped us build confidence and develop our talents, and its impact is still visible today.”

Mike Karangawa, a veteran figure in Rwanda’s entertainment industry and also an alumnus of the University of Rwanda, said that during their time, they worked hard to make the university a center of entertainment. He explained: “We did everything possible to bring studios from Kigali to Butare. Concerts increased, artists from Kigali came to Butare, and as a result, entertainment clubs also increased.”

Karangawa, who began his journalism career at Radio Salus during that period, noted that although entertainment infrastructure in Huye remains limited, talented students should take full advantage of the opportunities provided by the university. He encouraged them to work hard, saying that dedication brings pride to their parents and to the institution they belong to.

Murenzi Janvier, the coordinator of the team responsible for reviving the Arts and Culture Center, said there are many reasons behind the decision to bring the center back. He explained:

“This center, which was affiliated with the School of Social Sciences, was established in 1999. I studied here in 2000, when it was still the National University of Rwanda in Butare. It was the heart of arts and culture at the university, responsible for nurturing students’ talents in music, dance, painting, and drawing. It produced many talented and well-known individuals. In 2013, it stopped operating due to the expansion of academic programs, but in collaboration with university leadership, we are pleased that it is coming back to support talented students and others.”

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Rwanda in charge of Strategic Planning and Administration, Dr. Raymond Ndikumana, said the revival of the Arts and Culture Center is intended to promote students’ talents. He noted that although the university already has departments that teach history and creative design, students previously lacked spaces for practice and training.

He added that restoring the Arts and Culture Center will benefit not only students and the university but also Huye District by revitalizing entertainment and cultural activities, as was the case in the past. He said: “That is why we decided to bring it back, so that Huye can once again regain its former vibrancy not only for the university, but also for the entire community living in the district.”

In previous years, the University of Rwanda played a significant role in nurturing artistic talent in the country, particularly through the Arts and Culture Center established in 1999 when the institution was known as the National University of Rwanda (NUR) in Butare. The center was responsible for developing students’ talents in music, traditional and modern dance, drama, painting, and visual arts.

During its operation, the center made a major contribution to the growth of Rwanda’s entertainment industry and helped Huye District become a vibrant cultural and entertainment hub. However, in 2013, the center ceased operations due to institutional reforms, including the expansion of academic programs and changes in university administration. This decline negatively affected talented students, who struggled to find opportunities to develop and showcase their abilities.

The revival of the Arts and Culture Center is now seen as a major step toward restoring the University of Rwanda’s role as a center for talent development and strengthening arts, culture, and entertainment in Huye District and across the country.