Creative Industries

Background
Jamaica Trade & Invest (JTI, formerly JAMPRO), in executing its mandate of promotion and facilitation of investment and export in targeted sectors, is focused on building a well developed, competitive creative economy. The creative economy has been defined as the cycle of creation, production, and distribution of goods and services that uses knowledge, creativity and intellectual capital as primary inputs.  The Creative Industries show high growth potential and strong pull-through benefits to other key sectors of the Jamaican economy including Tourism and ICT. With strong positioning, JTI is committed to the realisation of Vision 2012 of JAMPRO’s Legacy Programme, which projects that “by 2012, Jamaica is a global hub for creative industries, with high levels of investment into sustainable projects, selling products and services into diverse markets.”

Format
The Creative Industries Global Forum will be a one-day conference, featuring expert panel discussions on topics of strategic importance to the development of the industry. All target Creative Industries sectors are to be included, such as Music and Digital Technologies; Audiovisual; Natural Products and Cuisine; Publishing; Visual and Performing Arts.

The Development of the Creative Industries will be the underlying theme for the Forum. Recommendations on next steps made by research on the area, including a Development Plan recently commissioned by JTI, will be explored by experts and practitioners alike.

An area of particular interest in these discussions is that of the encouragement of the commoditization of Intellectual Property, and how this can be facilitated locally. International practitioners in the Creative Industries will also share their experiences of getting and staying on top of their game in a constantly changing environment.

Objectives

• Test findings of Development Plans with panel of international experts to be engaged in interactive sessions; engage local Creative Industries practitioners in initiatives to develop their respective sectors
• Highlight case study projects to be included in Creative Industries Development Plan
• Facilitate networking of local sector representatives with funding and financing agencies, overseas project operators, buyers interested in Jamaican cultural products/services, international companies operating in the Creative Industries

Expected Results

• Increased visibility of Jamaican Creative Industries, particularly sub-sectors other than Music
• Even more sound Creative Industries Development Plan- with wider input and buy-in from stakeholders