Nadine: Jazz not about making a profit

The total revenue earned from ticket sales for the 2018 Tobago Jazz Experience was $1,668,600. More than $4.5 million was spent on hiring artistes to perform for the two-day event which had a budget of $7.3 million.

Responding to a question for oral answer from Minoirty Leader Watson Duke at the September 27 plenary of the Tobago House of Assembly at the Chamber in Scarborough, Secretary of Tourism, Culture and Transportation, Councillor Nadine Stewart-Phillips said the Assembly did not host the jazz festival to make a profit but to keep the festival alive on the calendar of events.

“The Tobago Jazz Experience serves the primary purpose of increasing visitor arrivals and stimulating economic activities.

“It is noteworthy to mention that persons were willing to spend more to attend the Tobago Jazz Experience 2018,” Stewart Phillips claimed, reporting that “1,101 general tickets and 1,344 VIP tickets were sold at full price of $600 and $750 respectively.

“The total revenue earned from ticket sales is $1,668,600. It is to be noted that $666,600 represents sales from general admission ticket and $1,008,000 from VIP ticket sales,” she said, adding that discounted tickets and other attractive packages were also available.

“A total of 329 tickets were sold at a reduced price; 262 tickets were sold at $500 for the general admissions special promotion, 41 tickets sold at $360 for the general admission staff specials discount, 26 tickets sold at $450 for the VIP admissions staff special discounts. The total revenue earned is $150,460. which represents $131,000 from the general admission special promotions, $14,760 from the general admissions staff specials discount and $11,700 from the VIP admissions staff specials discount.”

Stewart-Phillips also reported that a caterer was hired to provide refreshments for the specially invited guests at a cost of $30,000.

On the costs to hire artistes, she said, “$104,000 was spent on Tobago -based artistes, $180,864.79 on the Trinidad-based artistes, $560,156 on regional artistes and $3,687,540.49 on the international artistes.

“We would all agree that this was money well spent as every patron left the event extremely satisfied and already looking forward to the Tobago Jazz Experience 2019,” she said.

The two-day event featured Jazz in the East, Caribbean Night at Speyside on April 28 and World Music, International Night at Pigeon Point Heritage Park on April 29. Artistes who performed at the event included American recording artistes Fantasia, Ne-Yo and Anthony Hamilton, and Jamaica Reggae artistes Tanya Stephens and Tarrus Riley.

Stewart Phillips also said the jazz festival allows for local entrepreneurs to provide goods and services which helps stimulate the Tobago economy.

She listed the cost of the supporting infrastructure at the events:

“Tents - $90,903.50, chairs - $7,655, tables - $4,900, lights - $100,077, stage - $388,277.78 and sound - $968,375.

“In doing all of the above, the Tobago House of Assembly gained an even more valuable outcome as the tides have turned, and the reputation of the Tobago Jazz Experience has been restored and burnished to an amazing shine,” Stewart-Phillips boasted.

She said preparations were already underway for the 2019 edition of the festival.