Capacity to Innovate and Structures to facilitate

A change in pace this week to look at, as Professor Vanus James said, “the knowledge, skills and self-confidence” to innovate. Josh Shuermann opened the day giving insight into the ways that Intellectual Property can support creatives to develop sustainable enterprises, and the ways to protect, exploit and sustain creative livings.

Vanus explained the modelling and mapping he had undertaken, funded by WIPO to look at how the creative industries could develop the Caribbean economies. He outlined the investment in education – at all levels – as well as support with export and distribution mechanisms. The strong work in music as well as video games and many other areas of the creative industries are clear in the Caribbean countries, and Professor James showed what policy interventions would be needed to enable the potential to be realised. We were also left aware of the negative impact of the colonial past in the country, and Vanus suggested that for the countries to move forward all citizens needed to be brought into the process, to ensure firm foundations for the creative industries.