OFFENSIVE ON THE CULTURAL INDUSTRIES IS NEEDED
This is the age of the Creative Economy. And as if to parallel the era of the plantation economy that fuelled the empire, it’s a time when our creative industries are increasingly a key factor in driving cultural and economic development in the more industrialized countries while gasping for air in the nurseries and creative enclaves of or own Caribbean backyards.
Even as the intellectual property of the region takes flight to add value to external economies, the Caribbean is itself fast becoming net importers of our own cultural content packaged and sold back to us from firms in the north. Such is our desperate need to be rubber stamped and validated from outside, even when it involves content and creativity born in the belly of the Caribbean.
Cultural exponents in particular, have long held up the Caribbean cultural richness and creativity. The general harnessing of such creativity for financial gain has proven to be a major problem.
Inexplicably, along side this occurs another piece of madness in which we spend huge sums on tourism budgets to promote festivals and films that rely on foreign artiste, broadcast media and films companies.
More imaginative and committed involvement is needed by Caribbean Governments, Print media, Radio and TV Stations to see the big picture. The detailed global outlook reports demonstrate clearly that many of today’s most successful companies are broadcasters, publishers, entertainers and games designers and they are growing fast. Because cultural/creative products are information-based the rapid advance of digital technologies and the globalisation of communication networks and creative industries have put the cultural sectors among the fastest- growing in the world.
Yet, with a few exceptions, the traditional Caribbean private sector, print media, radio and TV stations marketing and sales personal are yet to awaken to the possibilities of the divestment and investment in the creative industries while or banks remain closed to the vast majority of creative entrepreneurs, most of whom are micro and small enterprises. Cultural practitioners and entrepreneurs started the hard work required as donors and governments re-invent the wheel of various committees, task forces and calls for more studies and reports. While this may sound critical, it is meant to drive home the point about the need for meaningful dialogue.
We are moving into a different world now, one where the raw materials are not coal, steel or gas even but information, where the most valuable products are ideas and meanings, powered not by machines but by imagination. The time has come for the islands of the Caribbean to seize the opportunities offered by the creative economy as a strategy for socio-economic inclusion and development, nurtured and fuelled by the renewable sources of our Caribbean creativity.
Things we need to be talking about:
Are we turning the corner of way ward courses separated by waters of politics and race?
We heard it said time and time again that the Caribbean possesses some the most talented and naturally gifted Entertainers. I don’t think the entertainers want to be singing “FUH FREE”?
Who should provide the necessary structures to make sure the true potential of these entertainers can be achieved?
Should voices be calling for a more conservative rule of our cultural industries, more free work-shops, seminars, schools and sponsorship?
Did invisible tensions, areas of nasty deals, broken promises, spite and narrow mindedness and interlocking decisions take up house at our Caribbean leading cultural bodies?
Why all the great achievers in the entertainment industry of the Caribbean had to leave the Caribbean to make it, maybe I should say their music left the Caribbean after it went over our heads, Bob Marley, Billy Ocean, Eddie Grant, and now Rihanna?
Please be inform that music and better yet music of quality can play a very important role in keeping unlimited influence on peoples behaviour. Keep in mind every one has a purpose in this great entertainment picture, the public, sponsors, producers, print media, Radio and TV.
By Joseanne Leonard (Media Consultant) and Mike Murray (Producer Barbados Pan Festival)
This is the age of the Creative Economy. And as if to parallel the era of the plantation economy that fuelled the empire, it’s a time when our creative industries are increasingly a key factor in driving cultural and economic development in the more industrialized countries while gasping for air in the nurseries and creative enclaves of or own Caribbean backyards.
Even as the intellectual property of the region takes flight to add value to external economies, the Caribbean is itself fast becoming net importers of our own cultural content packaged and sold back to us from firms in the north. Such is our desperate need to be rubber stamped and validated from outside, even when it involves content and creativity born in the belly of the Caribbean.
Cultural exponents in particular, have long held up the Caribbean cultural richness and creativity. The general harnessing of such creativity for financial gain has proven to be a major problem.
Inexplicably, along side this occurs another piece of madness in which we spend huge sums on tourism budgets to promote festivals and films that rely on foreign artiste, broadcast media and films companies.
More imaginative and committed involvement is needed by Caribbean Governments, Print media, Radio and TV Stations to see the big picture. The detailed global outlook reports demonstrate clearly that many of today’s most successful companies are broadcasters, publishers, entertainers and games designers and they are growing fast. Because cultural/creative products are information-based the rapid advance of digital technologies and the globalisation of communication networks and creative industries have put the cultural sectors among the fastest- growing in the world.
Yet, with a few exceptions, the traditional Caribbean private sector, print media, radio and TV stations marketing and sales personal are yet to awaken to the possibilities of the divestment and investment in the creative industries while or banks remain closed to the vast majority of creative entrepreneurs, most of whom are micro and small enterprises. Cultural practitioners and entrepreneurs started the hard work required as donors and governments re-invent the wheel of various committees, task forces and calls for more studies and reports. While this may sound critical, it is meant to drive home the point about the need for meaningful dialogue.
We are moving into a different world now, one where the raw materials are not coal, steel or gas even but information, where the most valuable products are ideas and meanings, powered not by machines but by imagination. The time has come for the islands of the Caribbean to seize the opportunities offered by the creative economy as a strategy for socio-economic inclusion and development, nurtured and fuelled by the renewable sources of our Caribbean creativity.
Things we need to be talking about:
Are we turning the corner of way ward courses separated by waters of politics and race?
We heard it said time and time again that the Caribbean possesses some the most talented and naturally gifted Entertainers. I don’t think the entertainers want to be singing “FUH FREE”?
Who should provide the necessary structures to make sure the true potential of these entertainers can be achieved?
Should voices be calling for a more conservative rule of our cultural industries, more free work-shops, seminars, schools and sponsorship?
Did invisible tensions, areas of nasty deals, broken promises, spite and narrow mindedness and interlocking decisions take up house at our Caribbean leading cultural bodies?
Why all the great achievers in the entertainment industry of the Caribbean had to leave the Caribbean to make it, maybe I should say their music left the Caribbean after it went over our heads, Bob Marley, Billy Ocean, Eddie Grant, and now Rihanna?
Please be inform that music and better yet music of quality can play a very important role in keeping unlimited influence on peoples behaviour. Keep in mind every one has a purpose in this great entertainment picture, the public, sponsors, producers, print media, Radio and TV.
By Joseanne Leonard (Media Consultant) and Mike Murray (Producer Barbados Pan Festival)
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