Digiart Fest 2026

DigiArt Fest is Uganda’s pioneering digital arts and pop culture festival, established to celebrate creativity across comic art, animation, gaming, technology, and storytelling. Over the past decade, the festival has grown into a key platform for creative expression, skills development, and cultural exchange, bringing together artists, technologists, educators, students, and the wider public. The 10th edition of DigiArt Fest, themed “Uncharted,” marks a significant milestone. It reflects both a return to experimentation and a forward-facing commitment to shaping new creative industries—particularly gaming and interactive media—within Uganda and across Africa.

“Uncharted” speaks to exploration, world-building, and the courage to imagine beyond existing boundaries. In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, DigiArt Fest 2026 positions gaming and interactive media as powerful tools for cultural expression, economic opportunity, and youth empowerment.

Day 1: DigiArt Fest Exhibition & Experience – Saturday, 7th March 2026
This public-facing day celebrates digital creativity through comic book exhibitions, animation screenings, creative workshops, video game tournaments, cosplay and an anime watch party. The event welcomes pop culture enthusiasts, technologists, educators, students, parents, and the wider community.

Day 2: Esports & International Women’s Day Celebration – Sunday, 8th March 2026
The final day coincides with International Women’s Day and features the Swahili Esports Championship, delivered in partnership with Sages Africa (Services for Africa Gaming & Esports). This day is dedicated to celebrating women in the gaming and esports industry, showcasing female professional players, creators, and leaders, and promoting gender inclusion in Africa’s digital future. The championship is part of a continental esports series previously hosted in cities such as Nairobi (Kenya), Dakar (Senegal), Johannesburg (South Africa), Kinshasa (DR Congo), and Mauritius, and now coming to Kampala as part of DigiArt Fest 2026.

Participating Countries:

• Djibouti
• Ethiopia
• Kenya
• Madagascar
• Rwanda
• Somalia
• Tanzania
• Uganda
• International support from France and global esports stakeholders

Objectives

• Inspire young people to imagine and build new digital futures
• Strengthen Uganda’s gaming and digital arts ecosystem
• Celebrate and amplify women’s participation and leadership in gaming and esports
• Promote inclusivity and challenge gender stereotypes in tech and gaming
• Encourage regional and continental collaboration in creative industries
• Celebrate a decade of DigiArt Fest while charting new creative territory

Strategic Partnership: Sages Africa & Swahili Esports Championship

In partnership with Sages Africa, DigiArt Fest 2026 will host the Swahili Esports Championship, a regional esports initiative designed to structure and connect African esports ecosystems. The championship brings together professional players, federations, institutions, and industry leaders to foster collaboration, knowledge exchange, and talent development across East Africa and beyond. The women’s tournament and bootcamp will spotlight emerging female esports talent, supported by international mentors and industry figures, positioning Kampala as a regional hub for inclusive esports development.