Gerald Odwori

Gerald Bill Odwori is a visionary visual artist and storyteller whose journey from a small village in Eastern Uganda to Toronto, Canada, reflects resilience and the transformative power of art. He is co-founder and lead artist at Echo Arts Collective, a newcomer-led social enterprise using art for storytelling, sustainability, healing, and social justice.

Born in Dabani near the Kenya–Uganda border, Gerald was raised by his grandmother and mother amid poverty. As a child, his grandmother turned discarded cardboard into handmade books, sparking his fascination with creating meaning from what others considered waste. He excelled in art throughout school, selling hand-drawn portraits to pay his fees, and later earned a Diploma in Art and Design and a Bachelor's degree in Industrial Art and Design from Kyambogo University.

In Uganda, Gerald became known for using art to tackle environmental degradation, transforming discarded materials into sculptural works about community resilience. During COVID-19, he trained women and youth in recycling, painting, and drawing. As a queer artist and human rights advocate, he used murals and public art to support Uganda's People Power Movement and partnered with GIZ and the Uganda AIDS Commission to challenge HIV stigma — work that led to persecution and forced him to flee.

Since arriving in Toronto in 2023, Gerald has joined the city's artistic and newcomer community. Through Echo Arts Collective, he uses recycled materials, painting, and sculpture to amplify marginalized voices and foster healing, delivering free art workshops for refugees and newcomers.

His work has appeared in Uganda's New Vision and Bukedde, and been exhibited in Canada at the Toronto Outdoor Art Fair, Ascent Art Gallery, World Refugee Day, and Pride Toronto.

Gerald's story is one of resilience, creativity, and art as a force for justice.