Making a Business Out of Music

(Caribbean Export Development Agency) The Caribbean is bursting with creative talent, much of which is in the music industry. Often, musicians start out honing their talent as a hobby, and struggle financially to make a viable living. Most Caribbean musicians use live performances as their main route to revenue generation, unlike artists outside of the region who have often been able to capitalise on generating revenue streams from digital platforms.

To support the artists’ leveraging the digital space, Caribbean Export Development Agency has hosted a number of initiatives, as part of the 11th EDF Regional Private Sector Development Programme (RPSDP). Since 2017, the Agency has worked with Business Support Organisations (BSOs) specifically the Coalition on Services Industries (CSIs) from across the region to enable those involved in the industry to participate in the Business of Music (BOM) online self-learning platform and face to face workshops. In 2019, a new dimension was developed to this training involving instructor led webinars followed by a two-day workshop in collaboration with COSCAP (Copyright Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers Inc.) and the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) and the ‘knowledge company’ Music Ally Ltd in Barbados. Most recently, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the Agency embarked upon a 60-hour Virtual Regional Song Writing and Music Production Training workshop. Supporting the development of artists beyond hobby-type endeavours was a key driving factor for this workshop.

Coordinated by Herric Horne, a Vincentian Music Executive and owner of Island Network Inc., a full-service artist management and music development company, the workshop hosted some 35 singers, songwriters, and producers from across the Caribbean.

Read more at: Caribbean Export Development Agency

Source: CARICOM TODAY