‘Culture cash’

The Caribbean was today challenged to cash-in on the creative and cultural industries as ministers and agencies from the 34 nations of the Americas began to meet here.

As the eighth Inter-American Meeting of Ministers of Culture and Highest Appropriate Authorities began at the Hilton resort, Minister of the Creative Economy, Culture and Sport John King urged the member nations of the Organisation of American State (OAS) to put talk into action so that the region’s economies start seeing more tangible benefits from the creative and cultural sector.

He called on them to rethink how they treat operators in the sector and put plans in place to utilize, protect and promote them, and to use the sector to address issues of unemployment.

King said: “We have come to this juncture. We are here to discuss ways to strengthen the creative economy and cultural sector and to reposition the cultural sector into secure sustainable development in our individual countries and the region as a whole.

“I want to implore you to take the information and use it. Let this meeting be one that sparks real tangible action amongst our membership.”

Insisting that “no other region in the world has the wealth of creativity” like the western hemisphere, King further called on ministers of culture within the OAS to “encourage and lift the weak” by way of policies.

He said the cultural and creative sector had the ability to change the fortunes of each of the 34 OAS member states, but questioned whether lawmakers were willing to do what was necessary “to capture our rightful share of the market, preserve and protect what is ours while encouraging innovation”.

“The fact is, we can no longer afford to sit back and allow others to take ownership of what is ours or to manipulate our cultural products in such a way that our creatives do not benefit.

“We must become the craftsmen of our own fate.”

While congratulating Colombia, Haiti, Jamaica and the Bahamas for their efforts in capitalizing on their creative industries so far, the Minister for Culture insisted that there were best practices that others could employ.

The Minister said: “What is needed now is greater cooperation amongst ourselves.

“We can no longer go forward alone.

“As a bloc we stand to make considerable inroads into the world’s creative economy that is said to be worth billions.

“It would require all of us to have adequate legislation in place to protect our various sectors.

“It means building the necessary framework to enable cultural practitioners to be able to access each others’ markets, and every effort must be made to sensitize potential funders – local banks, credit unions, and international lending agencies.”

The veteran calypsonian said his wish was to see creative industry operators being able to travel throughout the region “in a completely different way, where there are no boundaries and no hindrances to them being able to ply their trades”.

During the opening ceremony, which saw a performance of cultural icon Anthony Mighty Gabby Carter, a number of country representatives were noticeably absent, as some of them experienced flight delays and cancellations as a result of Hurricane Humberto.

The meeting, which is being held in Barbados for the second time, has as its slogan Strengthening the Creative Economy and Cultural Sector: Representing the Cultural Sector to Secure Sustainable Development.

OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro also highlighted the need for representatives to share best practices and learn from each other when it comes to the sustainable development of the creative economy and cultural sector.

He said: “This can be achieved within the framework of the Inter-American Committee on Culture and with the support of the OAS Secretariat.

“Together we have an opportunity to advance collaboration and to adopt complete plans to strengthen the creative economy and cultural sector and lay the foundation for them to make a larger economic contribution.”

He said as countries look for new areas to enhance economic growth and development prospects, it was vital that they “nurture the key strengths of businesses in the creative sector”.

Almagro also suggested that Barbados capitalize more on its listing of Bridgetown and its Garrison as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, declaring: “I am certain that the authorities of Barbados are aware that beyond its intrinsic and historical significance, it has potential economic value.”

The two-day meeting, which brings together a number of figures in the creative and cultural sector and financial partners, will see a number of research papers being presented and areas for cooperation being discussed.
marlonmadden@barbadostoday.bb