Minister says "Treat Culture as Serious Business"

Contact: Rose Marie Harris

Tuesday, October 23, 2001 -- Minister of Community Development, Culture and Local Government, Hon. Damian Greaves, is calling on Saint Lucian society to give more respect to  local artistes and to provide them with an opportunity to earn an income from their various pursuits.

Making a strong case for culture to be treated as a serious business, Greaves said the time had come for the various  art forms to be elevated from the status of a side show at trade fairs and expositions targeting regional and international markets.

“What should be happening is that our culture (should) be part and parcel of that trade show and exposition so that all of these wonderful exhibits can be displayed abroad so that our people can gain an opportunity to earn an income and to earn some value at what they produce,” Greaves said. 

“We will be sparing no effort on that in the future as we have entered into a collaborative effort,  that is the Ministry of Culture (and) the Ministry of Commerce , and now will begin to collaborate to see the value of dealing with this thing both regionally and internationally.”

Greaves spoke last Friday at the launch of the 23^rd Annual M & C Fine Arts Awards, the premier event on the Saint Lucian cultural calendar, recognizing the creations and talents of local artistes.

Greaves called for a clearly defined marketing and advertising strategy for locally produced goods and services.  “There is nothing wrong with the commercialization of culture as long as we protect the authenticity of the  cultural product and the cultural service as long as we do not compromise the authenticity,” he said.

The M&C Fine Arts Awards will be strengthened through a new relationship between the Fine Arts Council and Ministry of Community Development and Culture which will see government contributing to the initiative cultivated by the M&C group of companies.   

Greaves said Government will award scholarships to some of the outstanding artists at this year’s event.

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