The government has pledged sweeping legislative and policy reforms to expand support for the island’s creative industries, including new film incentives, a revised cultural industries act, and a modern cultural policy designed to unlock the industry’s economic potential, according to the minister responsible for culture.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office with responsibility for Culture Senator Dr Shantal Munro-Knight said a series of new and updated laws would strengthen the cultural industries, support filmmakers, and modernise the national policy framework.
She made the announcement during the launch of The Space — a new creative production hub by On Brand Global — in Christ Church on Tuesday.
Senator Munro-Knight revealed that the government will be reforming the Cultural Industries Development Act, developing film incentive legislation, and introducing a new National Cultural Policy to better serve Barbados’ growing creative economy.
“We will be very shortly looking at how we upgrade and reform our legislative framework to provide more support,” she said. “We are not intending, over the next five years, to do business the same way. One of the lessons from CARIFESTA suggests to us that we can do much more, that the potential for the creative sector is untapped in very real and substantial ways.”
Senator Munro-Knight said consultations are ongoing to finalise new film legislation that would create incentives for local and regional productions.
“Recently, we met with a group of stakeholders looking at how we can again broaden the landscape for the provision of film incentives, something that our prime minister would have spoken to you a couple of years back, and we took the time to make sure that we can do it right and to continually engage with our stakeholders.
“We’ve met with them on looking at development of that film legislation for incentives, but also the landscape part providing support nationally, again, for the film sector, which includes a proposal to establish a special endowment fund as well.”
The minister said the Cultural Industries Development Act is “outdated” and would be updated to ensure it better fits the current needs of creatives and cultural practitioners.
“We recognise that that is outdated, and again, we want to be able to step back, to look at that, to engage with you, and to make sure that we have the right mix that fits the current context as well,” she said.
The National Cultural Policy is being developed following months of consultations and data gathering. Preliminary findings highlight the creative industry as one of the most inclusive industries in the country, she indicated.
“The preliminary data show us that this sector employs a large percentage of women. It is perhaps, again, one of the largest employers of women in Barbados in the creative space,” she revealed. “But it’s also showing that it is also a space for young people within the creative sector.
“What gets counted gets noticed. And this is our attempt to make sure, again, that we lift the legitimacy and the esteem of the sector by ensuring that we have the data to be able to identify its importance and where it sits within the economic landscape.”
Senator Munro-Knight emphasised that the creative industry proved its resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic, recording 14 per cent growth during that period.
“If that is not a demonstration of resilience and power within the sector, then I don’t know what is.”
She said Barbados has not yet fully recognised that potential: “We need to do better in order to be able to recognise the power that lies within the creative sector.”
Senator Munro-Knight said the launch of The Space, a new creative production hub spearheaded by Dr Dana Best, managing director of On Brand Global, coincided perfectly with the start of full freedom of movement provisions under the CARICOM Single Market with three other CARICOM member states.
“This regional effort of yours then [allows] us to attract other creatives who would want to be able to make use of what you have to offer,” the minister said.
(LG)
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