Creative sector coping through the pandemic

THE president of the TT Promoters Association Jerome “Rome” Precilla wants people to understand that the entertainment sector employs many and its members simply wants a chance to work again.

Newsday spoke to some artistes and event planners about how they have been coping being almost two years into the pandemic and with the sector largely shut.

In a phone interview Rome said it has been very difficult for many in the industry as the pandemic runs its course.

“The entertainment sector has been one that has been shut down from the inception of this pandemic and it is still closed to some extent…,” he said.

Many artistes have found it difficult to get jobs, he said.

“There are few artistes now – myself included – who have been getting a few bookings around the Christmas time. I have been getting but it is very small compared to years gone by. We are grateful for the little opportunities we are getting but it is no way near able for us to be sustainable, in terms of artistes being able to take care of their families.”

He said it was not only difficult for the artistes but the musicians, promoters and other workers in the industry. In September, the government introduced its TT Safe Zone initiative with the reopening of spaces like bars and other venues for fully vaccinated people.

Nevertheless, promoters are not allowed to have parties but rather shows, Rome said.

“It has been a difficult time for the entire sector.”

He said people tried transitioning to virtual events and, while the events are entertaining and creative, financially, the artistes are unable to generate income from them.

Artistes would usually rely on corporate sponsorship for such events and because the corporate sector has also been hard hit by the pandemic, the sponsors have not been spending as much to support virtual events.

The association has been in talks with the Ministry of Health and Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts Randall Mitchell and was looking forward to a safe-zone type of Carnival.

But, Rome said, that depends on a number of things such as the covid19 cases, vaccination rate and the new omicron variant.

Rome said even before the government announced the safe-zone initiative, the association decided to host vaccinated events.

“When the safe zones were implemented, we were in full support of that because of the science,” he said.

Rome said the association understands there is no life after covid19 but life with it.

“A lot of countries outside of TT have adopted that same safe-zone policy. I went to New York; I went to a couple of clubs where you have to show your vaccination card to enter. And based on that we believe that is the safest way to go.

“The last thing we would want as an entertainment sector – as much as we would want our events to restart and to have a Carnival – we do not want to be the ones responsible for a spike in covid19 cases and deaths, where our country is shut back down because our health system collapses.”

He said the association is looking at the safest way to have the entertainment sector reopen and the safe zone is the best way.

Echoing many Carnival stakeholders, Rome believes that a Carnival 2022 is possible.

It might not be the type of Carnival TT is used to but some form of it can return.

“We think we can have events in a hybrid manner. We can have events in a safe-zone manner where we can put on our culture and showcase to the world that we are resilient. That covid19 is not going to stop our people from putting on the greatest show on earth.

“It will not be a parade of sorts. It would not be the parade of costumes but we may be able to have Kings and Queens. We may be able to have cultural shows and smaller fetes. We think, it can happen and we think it can happen as early as mid-January or February,” he said.

But any discussion about the reopening of the sector – from a glance at the comments section below any article or piece about Carnival or entertainment – elicits comments to the effect that this is not the time for such discussions.

Asked to comment on people who say discussions about Carnival or any type of event should not be happening now, Rome said, “I would say that those people, unfortunately, are out of touch with the eco-system that surrounds the event sector and Carnival.”

He said people see Carnival and the events sector as a “wine and jam” sector and not one – like any other industry – that generates a lot of income and job opportunities for a large sector of the population.

“Everybody knows somebody who is employed, somewhat, by the events sector. The lady who is selling corn soup outside of the event, to the barber or hairdresser who gets someone dressed to go to the event, the people selling the clothes, the taxi driver who drops them.

“The people in Tobago, where after a Carnival everyone heads across there to relax on the beach and buy a bene ball and a sugar cake…”

Many people were employed directly or indirectly by the sector and some people don’t see that aspect of it, he said.

The association, he said, believes there is a lot of doom and gloom and having events will provide a glimmer of hope to the population. When the sector finally reopens, he believes it can assist with increasing TT’s vaccination rates.

“I want the public, instead of fighting against the entertainment sector or against Carnival, to open their minds a bit and be a bit open-minded with us. Have a bit of empathy when it comes to the events sector.

“There are a lot of people who are employed by the sector and if there is a hurricane or an earthquake or any natural disaster, the entertainers and the promoters are the ones to come out first, to throw these events for charity and to give back, I just want people to have a bit of a heart when it comes to our sector that now we are the ones in dire need in terms of getting some sort of resuscitation.

“We are asking not for handouts but for the opportunity to go back out and work,” he said.

Actor, singer and director Wendell Manwarren said creative people have been coping through the pandemic.

To him, it has been like riding a wave where there are peaks and troughs.

“It is a long wave and sometimes there is a lot of anxiety,” he said.

Manwarren said the biggest challenge for creative people – because there has been so much uncertainty – was how to plan properly.

“So we have a Carnival coming up. What form will it take? Will there be an audience?

And if there is an audience you have to do the math and figure out how you have to cut your cloth to suit.

“To do a big show like we used to do, is there an audience for that now?

Maybe not, so you have to look at things differently.”

However, Manwarren still sees hope.

He said the reality is that some artistes have to do other things to earn an income.

Manwarren said local performing group 3canal – of which he is a member – is still looking at the Carnival to make a statement as it has done for all these years.

He, too, said there are potential safe zones where shows can be done.

“The new challenge is how to make it cost-effective and still stay with the numbers…

“It is a challenge but coping is the word and we are hoping for a breakthrough soon,” he said.

Manwarren said the safe zone is a good idea in principle but might not be as economically viable for some people.

“Operationally, you may not be able to recoup with the restricted numbers and that sort of thing.”

The group has not gone back into running the performance venue Big Black Box on Murray Street, Woodbrook just yet because – after two years of being down – to retool and refit is a “huge investment.”

He said when it was weighed, the numbers would not match up for now but the space was being used in other ways and people simply had to find new ways of being creative and earning.

For Jayna Clayton the events manager for Event Experts Ltd, even with the safe zone initiative, the event planning industry has not received any kind of reprieve as there has not been an increase in the number of people allowed to gather.

She said if possibly safe zone events were introduced that might be helpful, but for now the government has not lifted restrictions on the number of people that can gather.

Clayton said all of the events the company has been doing are fully vaccinated, micro events and largely at private residences. The events planning company is a family-run, Chaguanas-based business.

“This means that the staff are vaccinated, the guests are vaccinated, and they have their vaccination cards or a copy on them,” she said.

She said it has been very difficult for the company and it has been unable to get back into a full swing.

“But we have been trying to get by with smaller events like micro weddings,” she said.

The company has also – like other creative and entertainment workers – had to look at other forms of income generation.

It has lost much of its full-time staff and its part-time staff has also been affected, she said.

“The industry really is not what it used to be and it does not seem like there is any talk in the government about it. I don’t know if it is something that is taboo right now,” she said.

Clayton says at the Ministry of Health’s press briefings there is often no talk about the events sector as if “the entire industry does not exist.”

She added that many in the industry have been struggling to find a way.

One of the “saving graces” have been that people still want their full décor even though it is micro events and that has helped many in the industry, Clayton said.

And as cases increase any events that have been in the works are now being either postponed or cancelled.

“Because people don’t want to be out…and we don’t give them wrong we are also very cautious. We don’t want to be out unnecessarily. It really does not seem like it is going to be getting better right now.”

However, the Claytons are trying to stay positive.

With Christmas less than a week away, the Claytons and their business was assisted by doing Christmas décor for private residences and some offices.

“We were able to generate some income for this season but that is just for now. We do not know what January will bring…We started a spin-off business where we do customised gifts and gift baskets,” she said.

Usually, the company would have had a busy season come Carnival but that would not be happening so the company is adjusting.

The business’ future, however, remains uncertain. Clayton said for now it has been able to survive but many of their colleagues have closed or are selling off assets to pay off debts.

“Right now, we are waiting to see some end in sight, but we don’t know. I definitely don’t think we are in a closing down phase right now. We are taking it as we go. There are no concrete plans. Because if it is one thing we learnt, is that we can’t plan anything.

“Today is one thing and tomorrow is another.”