Barbados has been urged to see the performing arts not only as entertainment or an avenue of expression but for their economic and other benefits.
Lecturer of the Creative Arts Centre, of the University of the West?Indies (UWI) at St Augustine, in?Trinidad, Dr Joanne Tull, said the performing arts have the dual role of generating economic benefits and helping maintain national identity.
Speaking at the 2011 NIFCA Awards ceremony at Ilaro Court on Sunday evening, Tull said too many people saw the arts as merely a hobby, or an activity which should be pursued only if achievement in the other areas of learning was not possible.
“First, because the performing arts are traditionally regarded as areas of artistic endeavour . . . they are often deemed in some quarters of society as noble (and) ‘pure’, to be free of commercial and economic consequences.
“Correspondingly, there is also the notion of the arts as fun and mere entertainment that is not worthy of study or consideration as serious careers,” she said.
However, in seeking to dispel that notion, Tull said the performing arts could be found at every level of the education system, complete with the examinations for qualification.
She explained that the arts, culture, and entertainment were important to the expansion of national economies and the wider global economy.
Tull therefore praised NIFCA for its continued development of local artists, saying that this was usually the starting point for most people operating in the cultural industry.
“We have all heard of the stories of renowned singers and musicians telling of their start in the church choir, or the successful craftsman recalling her days in visual art classes. And what about those dancers we see gracing the stage behind most popular music artistes? No doubt their career began through dance productions,” she said.
“Indeed, our very own NIFCA salutes the importance of the performing arts as the point of departure for talent and creativity.”
Tull said she was pleased that the younger generation was taking the performing arts much more seriously, revealing that every year at the St Augustine Campus no fewer than 30 students entered programmes in theatre and visual arts. (RB)
