Carnival to the world! | Features Local

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THE Trinidad and Tobago Promoters Association (TTPA) has unveiled the Global Carnival Alliance (GCA), a strategic initiative aimed at redefining and expanding the global impact of Caribbean-style Carnivals.

Speaking at a recent news conference at Queen’s Hall, Port of Spain, TTPA advocate Paige De Leon described the GCA as a response to the growing “carnival industrial complex”. She explained this concept as an intricate system of interconnected businesses, cultural stakeholders, government bodies, and global markets that profit from influence and shape the production and commercialisation of Caribbean-style carnival events.

She said the GCA will function as a network of think tanks over the next year to develop a framework for the sustainable, sensitive, and culturally engaged development of the industry, which includes events, stakeholders, festival owners, and creatives with specific reference to musicians and mas makers. She said it will bridge the gap between the intricate system of interconnected businesses, cultural stakeholders, government bodies, and global markets that profit from, influence and shape the production and commercialisation of Caribbean-style carnival events.

GROW THE BRAND: Paige De Leon

De Leon said, “Carnivals and all of their facets are now a globally accepted product. A commodity that administrators, entrepreneurs, and financiers see as valuable, so much so that they are prepared to strategically position and invest in growing carnivals in their cities and countries. It means that Caribbean-style or Trinidad-style carnivals have now carved out a unique economic space internationally with infinite potential, so what do we do as the premier carnival practitioners? How do we harness, develop, and intentionally grow and benefit from this movement? We have to get organised, sit back, and take stock of what the product looks like now and what we want it to look like in ten or 20 years so that our children will have an industry that is ours to inherit.”

De Leon continued, “Each year the number of Caribbean-style carnivals grows. We have close to 20 carnivals in the Caribbean alone. Venturing into North America from New York to Los Angeles, there are said to be 30 Caribbean-style carnivals. Over in Europe, it’s 20 or more, from London to Sweden. Dubai has joined the list, and Japan has deepened its love affair with soca and pan by hosting its own carnival. There are soca weekenders springing up in too many places to count. Uber Soca Cruise and Brazil’s Soca Explosion Festival are on the rise,” De Leon said.

She said there is already a commitment of participation from Carnival practitioners from the Netherlands, Miami, and Los Angeles to Trinidad. In explaining the relevance of the GCA, De Leon said, “Carnival has evolved into a highly commercialised and politicised industry where large-scale commercial interests often overshadow its cultural significance, transforming an authentic expression of identity into a global commodity,” De Leon said.

Further explaining the various umbrellas of the GCA, De Leon said, “The Caribbean Artiste Syndicate will harness the views of the creatives. The Carnival Festival Syndicate will harness the views of festival owners worldwide. The Caribbean Event Producers Syndicate will take its cues from the genius event producers that continue to wow the world, and the Caribbean Elite Group, producers of the Caribbean music awards, will continue to grow their brand so that the industry has a place to pause. This will all come together under one umbrella to combine the views and ideas of these captains of industry so that we chart a way forward that we benefit from. The time is now to take our music to the next level. We need to increase global audience numbers.

“We don’t have to look hard for those numbers; our audiences are in the 70s, plus Caribbean-style festivals that already exist, and all the people that they touch to ensure that our best-in-class practitioners continue to work not just at home but at those festivals all over the world. We have to ensure that the people who know how to do the things are known by the people who want the things done, like governments, festival owners, and other festival owners and event producers,” she said.

De Leon clarified that the GCA is a private sector-driven initiative, with no structural ties to any State entity. “It is an international intervention with a global stakeholder group. This is a totally private sector-driven initiative, not structurally aligned with any State entity. It was an opportunity that we saw to harness the carnival product.

De Leon said event promoters continue to offer patrons safe spaces and event spaces.

“In T&T, we are operating in a space that continues to be intolerant of our festival and its impact on our society. We are in the middle of an SoE, but we continue to move forward with our events, festivals, and daily lives. Event promoters continue to offer a safe, joyful experience to patrons and visitors. This year is no different,” she said.

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