Culture and Development: Trinidad and Tobago’s Aggressive Policy Agenda

1. 5th Regular Meeting of the Inter-American Committee on Culture March 2013 Mrs. Ingrid Ryan-Ruben Director of Culture Trinidad and Tobago Developing our Cultural Industries ………Together Culture and Development:Trinidad and Tobago’s Aggressive Policy Agenda

2. Main Focus • The development of our Creative Industries is a major policy strategy for Trinidad and Tobago • The creative sector has been identified as a potential source for economic diversification • A MULTI PRONGED APPROACH is therefore being applied to preparing the sector for its role as economic driver.

3. Major Activities • Policy Research and Development • To establish common ground for remit, objectives and key stakeholders • Coordinated Planning Structure • To contribute to rationalisation, efficiency, reduction in wastage and duplication • Heritage Research • To define main components in the sector to receive attention • To help us define ourselves as one people moving forward • Targeted Programming • To treat with imminent and current needs whilst the policy infrastructure is being put in place

4. Policy Development • Draft policy documents on Multiculturalism and Culture • A suite of documents designed to set a governing framework for state action • Available online at http://www.culture.gov.tt/culturefeatures-policy.html

5. Main Documents

6. Draft National Policy Frameworkfor Multiculturalism • This document sets the overall philosophy that will guide policy development and strategic planning with special reference to the management of diversity in Trinidad and Tobago. • Vision: “Create an environment that facilitates the development of the diverse forms of culture practiced by Trinidadians and Tobagonians within the ambit of a national culture of patriotism”.

7. National Cultural Policy • A periodic statement of intent that facilitates long term planning for the sector and that references core legislation and international agreements to which the Government must subscribe. • It will be subject to periodic review to ensure consistency with dynamic sectoral needs. • Priorities for Cultural Development are the: • Promotion of the Creative Arts • Preservation of Heritage • Sustainable Cultural Industries Development • Social Cohesion

8. Policy Articulation • Arising from the Draft National Cultural Policy • National Cultural Mapping Exercise • National Strategy for Cultural Development • Strategic Development Plan for Cultural Industries

9. Policy Research • National Cultural Mapping Exercise • Cultural Mapping is the identification and analysis of a region’s cultural assets and resources that are gathered through a variety of methods that are based on a consultative process with key stakeholders in the sector • USES • Improve knowledge base and structure • Identify unknown assets and resources • Scan the environment • Evaluate cultural projects & programmes • Guide policy formulation & strategic planning • Establish baseline data to track impact of initiatives

10. National Cultural Mapping Exercise • Data will be expressed visually via an interactive map and other pictographic methods • Information will be made available to the public online

11. Coordinated Planning Structure • Strategic Planning Directly tagged to the Mapping Exercise • National Strategy for Cultural Development • Strategic Development Plan for Cultural Industries. • Ensure that strategies • Meet real needs • Resolve problems • Take advantage of unexplored opportunities • Roundtable of Public Sector Stakeholders in the Culture Sector • Rationalise public sector agencies in the Culture Sector to • Minimise duplication • Maximise efficiency • Finalise development strategies and agencies responsible for implementation • Major agencies identified in ‘Addendum 3 Major Public Sector Stakeholders in the Cultural Sector’ of the Draft National Cultural Policy

12. Heritage Research • Main Objectives • Develop base of data to support heritage preservation, promotion and development • Meet international obligations under UNESCO conventions for intangible cultural heritage and physical sites to create the: • National Inventory of World Cultural and Natural Heritage of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago • National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

13. We’re Trinbagonian Campaign • A total of 869 submissions were received: • World Cultural and Natural Heritage – 382 • Intangible Cultural Heritage – 487 • Draft inventories prepared, awaiting final approval, and will be: • published on website • Used to drive specific targeted activities in preservation and dissemination.

14. We’re Trinbagonian Campaign

15. Targeted Programming • Select activities targeted to met sectoral needs and mandates of the Ministry whilst the larger policy agenda is developed: • National Registry of Artists and Cultural Workers • Music School in the Panyard • Pan Camps • National Steel Symphony Orchestra

16. Music Schools in the Community • Goal: • was to contribute to the holistic professional development of musicians via the establishment of a Music School in communities across the country. • Six bands were selected to participate in the Music School as follows: • Exodus • Casablanca • Potential Symphony • Sangre Grande Cordettes • Couva Joylanders • Skiffle Steel Orchestra • Artists-in-Residence attached to these venues were Dr. Roy Cape, Mr. Errol Ince, Mr. Pelham Goddard, Mr.Leston Paul, Mr. Anthony Woodroffe, and Mr. Joseph Rivers. • The Music School hosted four hundred and twenty-five (425) students • Programme targeted for expansion to 20 venues in 2013

17. Music Schools in the Community

18. National Steel Symphony Orchestra

19. National Steel Symphony Orchestra • The ensemble is composed of auditioned players and represents the best combination of technique and literacy amongst Steelpan players in Trinidad and Tobago. Its uniqueness as an orchestra is premised on the following characteristics: • It is the only official steel orchestra of the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. • It is the only orchestra in the world to exclusively use the Genesis Pan, the newest addition to the family of Steelpan instruments. • It is the only steel orchestra to exclusively use scored music in its repertoire. • To their credit, they receive standing ovations at every concert performance nationally and internationally.

20. NSSO Pan on a Higher Note

21. NSSO Pan on a Higher Note

22. National Theatre Arts Company

23. 5th Regular Meeting of the Inter-American Committee on Culture March 2013 Mrs. Ingrid Ryan-Ruben Director of Culture Thank you for viewing this presentation.