The Tribune

By JEFFARAH GIBSON

Tribune Features Writer

A NEW forum, designed to show the importance of the creative arts as a means of economic production, was launched by concept proponents Bahamian Soul.

The forum held every Tuesdays features industry leaders such as Freddie Munnings Jr, community activist and musician; Dr Ian Strachan, College of Bahamas senior lecturer and playwright; Chris Justilien, COB lecturer and Junkanoo leader; Andret John, visual artist; and Fred Ferguson, entrepreneur and musician.

Participants in the forum engage in conversation around the question: What is the Bahamian creative economy?

Along with Tuesday's forum, the group hosts the Bahamian Soul Showcase every Thursday at 7pm. Both events are held at the Garden of Eden, Eastwood.

"We intend to have several discussions on the Bahamian creative economy. In this discussion we will define the creative economy and identify what makes up the creative economy. The creative economy is anything we use our imagination to generate profit for ourselves and our families. This discussion will educate people on how it can create numerous jobs for Bahamians," said Alesha Hart of Bahamian Soul.

Ms Hart said there is no reason creative industries like Junkanoo cannot be a thriving business in the Bahamas. For this to happen she said, Bahamians must see the worth of industries as such and participate in them.

"When someone buys a straw hat, or goes to a writer to do work for them we are participating in the creative economy."

It is important for Bahamians to know who is part of this economy, what they have done over the years, and how what they have done has filtered into the economy. This is the reason why people like Dr Ian Strachan and Freddie Munnings who represents a whole spectrum of the creative economy are part of the discussion," she said.

In the following weeks, there will also be Bahamian Soul conversations on 'what it means to be Bahamian. This discussion is designed to help Bahamians identify with their culture and understand what it truly means to be a Bahamian.

"The number one problem is that Bahamians do not know their identity. As the world goes global it becomes more pressing for us to keep our identities."

"Many Bahamians struggle to articulate who they are. If you do not know who you are or cannot articulate who you are, you should just kill yourself, you should commit suicide. It is sad to not know who you, are people serious? If you know who you are, you would not put graffiti on the walls, or you would think twice about committing any crime. If we are able to pinpoint who we are, we will be far better off," she told Tribune Entertainment.

Whether established, emerging, culturally-specific, or experimental, the group embraces all artists - in dance, comedy, poetry, music - who wish to share.

"No one in the creative community is considered more important than the other. A writer is not considered more important than a artist and vice versa," Ms Hart said.

Bahamian Soul is a creative movement which nurtures creativity, cultivates expression, promotes the arts, supports the arts in education, stimulates community, national policy and economic development and serves as a resource for cultural and heritage advancement, according to the founders.

The movement deliberately links creativity, community and commerce. Bahamian Soul seeks to define, demonstrate, embrace and build the creative economy in the Bahamas.

In the future, Bahamian Soul hopes to establish an environment that nurtures culture, and fosters the cultural economy.

Other Bahamians who support the cultural movement include: Celi Moss, Dillon McKenzie, Sammie Starr, Manifest, Lavard, Lakeisha Bostwick, Pat Rahming, and Demetrius Smith.