Carnicon to showcase regional carnivals

Alex Johnston, director of Velocity Capital Advisors Ltd, in conversation with 3Canal's Wendell Manwarren and Jo-Ann Tull at the launch of Carnicon, NAPA, Port of Spain on Friday.  -
Alex Johnston, director of Velocity Capital Advisors Ltd, in conversation with 3Canal's Wendell Manwarren and Jo-Ann Tull at the launch of Carnicon, NAPA, Port of Spain on Friday. -

THE launch of the global carnival convention (Carnicon) was held on Friday night at the National Academy of the Performing Arts in Port of Spain.

The intention behind the convention led by founder of the Tribe Bands Dean Akin, founder of Caesar’s Army Julius Sobion, and Derrick Lewis of Eventology is to facilitate global carnival practitioners and stakeholders to discuss the business of carnival and protection of the cultural expression from intellectual property theft.

Akin, director of Carnicon, said the global event set to be held in TT in November 2020 is being built on a mindset and intention of collaboration between everyone involved in the carnival industry.

Lewis, whose Eventology is one of the region’s largest event management firms, said the conversations resulting in Carnicon began about seven years ago during a Carnival post-mortem. He said he looks forward to the event which will be held in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts.

Alex Johnston, director of Velocity Capital Advisors Ltd – a UK-based investment consultancy – in his presentation on intellectual property, creativity and the role of the government, spoke on how to benefit the economy by protecting the indigenous features of culture while adding monetary value to each facet of it for consumption. He also spoke of the role which ought to be played by the government in ensuring there is collaboration between itself and stakeholders in the industry to benefit the state and those within the creative industry, while maximizing reach in a modernised media through digital technology.

The launch included a discussion between Johnston and singer, writer, producer, sound designer and director Wendell Manwarren of 3Canal. The discussion, moderated by consultant in Caribbean creative economy development Jo-Ann Tull, explored the room for the growth of local and regional carnival industries, and how each territory within the international landscape can learn from each other.

The event was introduced at the entrance by a splendid display of pan, moko jumbies and dancers from Metamorphosis Dance Company — showcasing all TT Carnival represents. The excitement and beautiful displays, however, lacked expressions representing carnivals from other islands, much more other regions.

The conversations and presentations during the launch did not sufficiently indicate a strong direction of what those expected at the event may anticipate, nor were there practical stipulations of how the large-scale event will directly benefit the economy and creative of TT.

Arguably the launch may have been merely to whet the appetite of carnival lovers for what is to come at the debut of Carnicon in November 2020.

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"Carnicon to showcase regional carnivals"

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