EDITORIAL - Cultural industries need a push during this crisis

If there is ever a time to be innovative and creative, it is now, during this current COVID-19 pandemic.

Indeed, those in the creative and cultural industries are finding that this is true. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), along with the tourism industry, cultural and creative sectors are among the most affected by the current coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis.

The OECD points out that the current crisis is particularly critical for cultural and creative sectors, due to the sudden and massive loss of revenue opportunities, especially for the more fragile
players. It has been further noted that the pandemic creates a structural threat to the survival of many firms and workers in cultural and creative production.

“Today, more than ever, the importance of culture and creativity for society is clear. The availability of cultural content contributes to mental health and well-being, and many cultural institutions have provided online and free content in recent weeks for that purpose. Sustainable business models during and after the initial crisis are imperative for the sector’s survival. Leaving behind the more fragile part of the sector could cause irreparable economic and social damage. The current challenge is to design public supports that alleviate the negative impacts in the short term and help identify new opportunities in the medium term, for different public, private and non-profit actors engaged in cultural and creative production,” the OECD stresses.

Meanwhile, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) says that in light of the loss of revenue by cultural and creative industry (CI) practitioners due to the effects of COVID-19, the Bank has
allocated USD 100 000 for Emergency Relief Grants, which are being offered through its Cultural and Creative Industries Innovation Fund (CIIF).

USD 50 000 has been allocated for the Music sub-sector and USD 50 000 for the Festivals and Carnivals sub-sector for the CIIF Emergency Relief Grants, which will range from USD 2 500 to USD 20 000 each. According to the CDB, the grant is targeted at CI entrepreneurs who can demonstrate loss of income for music, festival and carnival events that have been cancelled as a
result of COVID-19.

This a good gesture. We need more partners to come on board to assist creative and cultural industry practitioners. Now is the time for them to also get creative and find ways and means to continue to reach out to and meet the needs of their target audiences, and potentially profit from it as well since economic recovery can be assisted this way as well.

Perhaps we can hear a more definitive plan from the Ministry of Creative Economy, Culture and Sports here in Barbados and even the National Cultural Foundation on the way forward. Yes, we are seeing a number of “quarantine concerts” and “quarantine parties”, but surely more can be done using the technology to engage wider audiences and maybe even generate revenue, during a period of the year that would usually be filled with Crop Over events.

Again, we have to get creative and innovative if we are to survive this crisis and emerge the better from it.

Barbados Advocate

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