The Government of Grenada has identified the Creative Economy as one of 5 priority areas for the period 2022–2027, given the rapid growth of the sector in recent years and its potential for quality job creation and export earnings in Grenada.
The creative economy — which comprises creative industries such as advertising, fashion, design, performing and visual arts, photography, music, architecture, film, podcasts, and computer programming — is fast becoming a new engine of economic growth in many countries. Valued at over US$2 trillion in 2019, the sector contributes just over 6.1% to the global gross domestic product (GDP), averaging between 2% and 7% of national GDPs around the world.
Hon. Lennox John Andrews, Minister of Economic Development, Planning, Tourism, ICT, Creative Economy, Agriculture and Lands, Fisheries & Cooperatives, shared the Government’s vision of Grenada as a ‘creative nation’ where innovation and creativity, as well as the preservation and revitalisation of national heritage and culture, are fundamental pillars of long-term social and economic development.
“This emerging sector is filled with possibilities for our citizens, especially our young people,” Minister Andrews said. “By investing in the Creative Industries, we can ensure that our people are well-positioned and equipped to capitalise on the many benefits this sector has to offer. The effective management of Creative Industries also allows us to leverage the abundance of talent and skill that Grenadians possess to produce competitive products and services that can be exported internationally.”
Advisor for the Creative Economy, Orlando Romain, spoke to plans that will soon be underway to drive the implementation of the sector’s development. “We are in the process of laying a solid foundation to ensure the success of the Creative Economy in the years ahead. Our first order of business is the establishment of the Grenada Office of Creative Affairs (GOCA), which will drive the work needed to structure and build the Creative Industry,” Romain shared.
The GOCA is a division of the Ministry of Economic Development that will be tasked with creating a favourable environment for the development of the country’s Cultural and Creative Industries. The office will function as the main administrative home for the Creative Economy, with the core objective of championing, connecting, supporting, and investing in creative people and businesses.
GOCA’s primary mandate includes:
- creating a favourable environment for the increased economic value of Creative Industries
- facilitating linkages between the Creative Industries and other sectors
- creating a policy framework for the sector’s development, in line with 2035 National Sustainable Development Goals and objectives
- raising awareness about Creative Industries
- building the capacity of creative entrepreneurs through training programmes, seminars, and other activities
- establishing and managing a Creative Industry registry and business networking platforms
- creating funding opportunities and promoting information about existing funding opportunities for the Creative Industries
- facilitating concessions and other economic incentives for Creative Industries
- supporting the export of creative goods and, in general, the internationalisation of the sector
- providing technical support to creative businesses and entrepreneurs
- supporting ongoing research activities in the Creative Industries
In the upcoming months, the Government of Grenada plans to initiate a series of activities to solidify its commitment and set the foundation for the development of Grenada’s Creative Economy. These include an initial stakeholder consultation, a research project to map the Creative Economy, the launch of the Creative Industries Registry and Business Networking Platform, a Cultural Industry Symposium, the implementation of special fiscal incentives for the sector, and the development of a National Cultural and Creative Industry Policy and Strategy.
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