Culture gets $334m: Live Music Districts to spread across TT

The Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts is set to receive $334 million in 2019, down from the 2018 estimate of $350m. However, when revised, the ministry actually got $262 million in 2018.

These figures were revealed yesterday during the budget presentation in the House of Representatives by Finance Minister Colm Imbert.

And a week after the launch of Carnival, the National Carnival Commission (NCC) has been given a subvention for 2019 of $139.8 million, compared to last year’s estimate of $147.3 million. When that too was revised, the NCC actually got $90.4 million.

A breakdown of the draft estimates for NCC’s operational expenses for next year has rents at $5.2 million, gate receipts $1million, fees $138,000, advertising $34,500. and miscellaneous $194,000.

The Carnival special interest groups will collectively receive $36 million, the regional Carnivals $11.5 million, Carnival awards $10.5 million, the Carnival Institute $2.5 million and assistance to groups and individuals $5 million.

NCC CEO Colin Lucas said he hadn’t had the chance to analyse the figures as yet, and therefore couldn’t comment much. He added: “We all look forward to getting the necessary resources to to what we have to do, but we are not unaware of the financial constraints of the economy of TT. So we will just have to adjust to suit.”

Both NCC chairman Winston Gypsy Peters and Pan Trinbago president Keith Diaz offered no comment, since the former was in meetings all afternoon, and Diaz was attending the nomination day process for upcoming elections later this month.

With respect to the creative industries, and in particular the Live Music District (LMD) is to spread across TT according to Imbert.

He said: “In light of its success, this pilot programme in Port of Spain will now be extended throughout TT with live music performances year-round providing in the process collaboration among hotels and venues, in particular for tourism programmes.

The Ministry of Finance has been facilitating the development of that creative industry sector, and during the period March-June 2018, the LMD Programme which provides a platform for live music performances became alive.

Imbert said financial opportunities for160 artistes selected for the Artiste Portfolio Development Programme were presented at 31 venues which showcased 340 performances.

“We envisage that with this experience as a revenue-generating model, these artistes will now have the opportunity to perform before larger audiences and undertake appropriate tours.”