By Sobers Esprit Programme Officer, Competitive Business Unit, Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States

Thursday, May 14, 2020 — The OECS Competitive Business Unit (CBU) will host a series of four webinars that focus on “The impact of COVID-19 on the Creative Industries in the Eastern Caribbean” from May 14-26, 2020. The general public is invited to register in advance and to join the online discussions. 

The CBU recently conducted a survey on the impact of COVID-19 on the productive sectors in the Eastern Caribbean. In highlighting some of the outcomes of the study, the CBU noted:

“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the public health and economic sectors, disrupting supply chains and impacting lives and livelihoods across the globe. The impact of the pandemic is being felt in every sector bringing mass hardships and pushing the global economy on the brink of collapse and disaster. This unforeseen event has caused countries and people to rethink the way they do business and to look at strategies for economic and social advancement in the face of this major pandemic and in the future”.

The webinars are designed to engage creative entrepreneurs and artistes in an enlightened discussion on the impact of COVID-19 on creative and cultural activities in multiple sub-sectors, particularly ‘Music & Entertainment’, ‘Fashion & Design’, ‘Film, Audio-visual, and Animation’, and ‘Design & Design Thinking’. The series of discussions also aim to measure the needs of creative enterprises amid efforts to reopen the sector and ensure long-term growth and sustainability.

Panelists of the first webinar, which will be hosted on May 14, 2020, include a number of well-known music practitioners from the Eastern Caribbean:

• International Soca Monarch Winner, Hollis Jonah Mapp aka “Mr. Killa” from Grenada;
• Road march winner, Gamal “Skinny Fabulous” Doyle from St. Vincent and the Grenadines; 
• Singer and songwriter, Claudia Edwards from Saint Lucia; 
• Music producer and road march winner, Krishna “Dada” Lawrence from the Commonwealth of Dominica; 
• Music producer and songwriter, Fred Jean Baptiste from Martinique;  
• Chair of Eastern Caribbean Collection Organisation (ECCO), Vernalderine Francis from St. Kitts and Nevis;
• and Herric Horne, Manager of Island Network from St. Vincent and the Grenadines who will serve as the moderator of the webinar.

The OECS CBU reaffirmed its commitment to engage professionals of the Creative Industries in a meaningful dialogue and to provide a platform for action to help revitalise and rebuild the sector at the end of the pandemic.

The general public is invited to participate in the webinar.  

Themes and registration links for the webinar series:

Webinar #1
Theme: The Impact of COVID-19 on the Creative Industries Sector (Music & Entertainment)
Date and time: May 14, 2020 04:30 PM
Registration link:https://oecscommission.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ySzpxLfGRAaKWYcS84UsRQ 

Webinar #2
Theme: The Impact of COVID-19 on the Creative Industries Sector (Fashion & Design)
Date and time: May 19, 2020 04:30 PM
Registration link:https://oecscommission.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_D1uZRs-TSve2roU6VhsJeg

Webinar #3
Theme: The Impact of COVID-19 on the Creative Industries Sector (Film, Audio-visual, and Animation)
Date and time: May 21, 2020 04:30 PM
Registration link:https://oecscommission.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_9BmLsoQDSb62Pf9KPMM8SQ

Webinar #4
Theme: The Impact of COVID-19 on the Creative Industries Sector (Design & Design Thinking)
Date and time: May 26, 2020 06:00 PM
Registration link:https://oecscommission.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_AtH8s3f-T9uZuwvA2g6aQg