Profile
Jim Joel Nyakaana is an artist and researcher based in Uganda. His work explores cultural memory, urban heritage, and the social life of public spaces. Central to his practice is the documentation of defunct cinemas across East Africa, tracing their architecture, programming, and social networks through walking, photography, and archival research.
He leads monthly community walks in Kampala, engaging diverse participants whose stories help shape an open-access digital archive that bridges gaps in formal institutional collections. His work examines how popular culture, migration, and commerce intersect with urban history, and explores ways heritage can be preserved, shared, and reimagined for contemporary audiences. Through exhibitions, workshops, and public engagement, Joel foregrounds participatory methods, inclusive storytelling, and the adaptive reuse of historical spaces.
