Players in the creative industries in Barbados are not business-minded enough and this could be preventing them from making it big on the international scene.
Furthermore, a senior official with the Barbados Investment Development Corporation (BIDC) suggested that many artistes did not have the level of consistency that it took to do business in some overseas markets.
Modou Diagne, senior business development officer with the BIDC, was speaking to the BARBADOS BUSINESS AUTHORITY as they concluded the final day of e-Create Barbados, a week-long symposium and music intensive workshop at the Grande Salle at the Central Bank.
“Some of them are established in Barbados but what they do may not be appealing to the international market,” Diagne said of some artistes.
“We found that what is missing in the industry or what would add value to the industry is sessions like this where people really learn how to make quality music that is appealing to the international market.
“The creative industries people are not necessarily business-oriented; they are creative but not necessarily business-minded. They do not see as priority what the international market would see as priority.
“For example, just showing up on time for a meeting, the commitment and consistency that is required in doing business internationally that is what is lacking with the creative industry people here,” added Diagne.
He said he realized this consistency was lacking from working with a number of artistes and entertainers over the years. Diagne said he hoped the workshop would help those in the industry to think more about the business aspect of what they do and how to make their work more appealing to the regional and international markets.
Close to 100 people attended the workshop. (MM)
