Artists slow to capitalize on opportunities

Many persons involved in the cultural industries in the Caribbean have been slow to take advantage of the opportunities that are available to them through such mechanisms as trade agreements.

 

This is the opinion of the Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, Stephen Lashley who believes that this is something that we need to change.

 

“I think that the issue is to some extent, much of the opportunities particularly through international trade agreements as it relates to the creative aspect of the economies of our region, we have been very slow to take them up and we feel that we have to change that particular dilemma.”

Speaking at a press conference yesterday to provide the media with updates on the planning stages of CARIFESTA 13, he stated that these artists must also utilize the many cultural activities that take place in the region to bring their talents to the stage and CARIFESTA 13 is one such initiative.

 

“We believe that CARIFESTA is a great opportunity to start that mission of ensuring that our creatives understand the huge opportunities available within the context of the cultural industries. There is a huge market out there in terms of the export of cultural goods and services. We know for example within the context of the European Partnership Agreement, the opportunities within North America and also Central America are huge.”

 

Lashley therefore advised artists to use CARIFESTA as a golden opportunity to break into various markets.

 

“We have to use the various opportunities available to us to forge ahead within the context of bringing into external markets. But we have to be very strategic in that regard. Therefore, we feel that CARIFESTA as a major festivals that promote creativity, that promotes the arts must become a tool – a critical tool – as we seek to create opportunities for our artistic cultural practitioners to earn and to bring foreign exchange into the region.”

 

In fact one such mechanism that would allow them to do this is the buyers’ forum, stated the Minister of Culture.

 

“So we would be having the buyers’ market and a symposium as part of the 2017 edition of CARIFESTA. The intention of course is to bring to Barbados, bring to CARIFESTA, a cadre of international buyers who are interested, who are scouting for cultural goods and services. But the intention is not only to invite them but to create opportunities by which our cultural workers can actually obtain contracts and obtain opportunities for exchanging their goods and services for earnings and I think that once we follow this model – and we have to follow up on those – but we are going to engage in a very purposeful way through the buyers forum in this edition of CARIFESTA.”