by Marlon Madden
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to create a high level of uncertainty for live events and large gatherings, officials in the entertainment industry are skeptical whether Caribbean patrons would be willing to pay to “attend” online fetes and just how much.
To date, the majority of the online fetes and “lockdown parties” in Barbados and the rest of the Caribbean have been free, with a handful of them attracting some level of sponsorship from the business community.
However, with a level of uncertainty still hanging over the possibility of large gatherings any time soon, those in the industry are beginning to question whether patrons would pay the same to attend an online event as they would if they were to attend a live performance that could sometimes be costly, depending on the venue and the artist.
Red Plastic Bag blasts region’s ‘disrespect’ for creatives
Article by April 27, 2021
Renowned calypso and soca composer Stedson RPB Wiltshire has accused both governments and people in Barbados and the Caribbean of disrespecting the creative industry, declaring they do not show the same level of interest and appreciation as for tourism and other industries.
Wiltshire made the remark as he joined regional figures in the creative industries in a forum on the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact.The discussion reached the consensus that there would be no major return of promotions and other revenue-earning potential for entertainers before 2023.
He said: “For me, the top challenge has always been the level of respect and regard for what we do. Most of the stuff that I am involved in is really Soca music, and it is my view that there still has not been a warm embrace of art and culture in this part of the world. It seems as if we have developed a culture for disr
#BTEditorial - Must it be a long hard road for creatives? barbadostoday.bb - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from barbadostoday.bb Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
New Caribbean music database in February
Erica Smith Social Share
Barbados Today – A new Caribbean music database will be launched across the region on February 1, 2021.
The database, called C-Note, is an online digital database of regional sound recordings. The initiative has been formulated to increase the access and use of Caribbean music and is a joint effort between JCAP (Jamaica), OECS Echo, Barbados COSCAP, Trinidad COT and Belize Copyright Association. Collectively those associations have over 10,000 members, inclusive of songwriters, music publishers, performers, producers of song recordings.
Chief Executive Officer of the Copyright Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (COSCAP) Erica Smith told a Zoom session that there was a need for “authentic Caribbean cultural content”.