CULTURE LIVES HERE.

Editorial January 2019

It’s a New Year!!! Happy 2019!

January. As we’ve been given the chance to start all over – it’s always a good time for evaluation of ourselves, what we have or have not done over the past year, assessment, lessons learnt, reflection. Naturally, it is therefore the perfect time to adapt (if not you die…), to re-invent ourselves, to change. For how else would we grow?

As much as humans are creatures of habit, change is good. Change is essential. Deep down we crave newness, the next best thing to excite our senses and satisfy our appetite for change.

So the question remains – what will we do differently this time around? What can be improved, to experience a better, augmented reality?

It is always amazing (actually not amazing – frankly irritating) to hear fellow Trinbagonians repeatedly say “there’s nothing to do in Trinidad” and the best I’ve heard “It’s not worth it…” when it’s time to pay $60 TT for a local performance or creative event. This same bunch of people are excited to brag about their epic vacation: while “travelling” Broadway was so amazing, the MoMa spectacular, Miami’s Art fair so refreshing, Paris is just so full of Art and Culture, London’s Art Museum, Madame Tussaud’s… so much fun !”

Now – don’t get me wrong.  

While Broadway and the latest installation of Miami Art Basel are phenomenal (yes they are) there is a reason for that. Their context enables phenomenal greatness.

All of this Culture that we devour outside of Trinidad and Tobago exists

1. because international businesses invest (pump money) into the development of the Arts and Culture;

2. these countries understand that Culture and the creative sector have intrinsic value and are WORTH their time

3. Artists and creatives are here to do a job – a full time one at that-to push the limits of what we know and engage our thinking, thereby facilitating transformation and progress of a society

4. countries are (again) ENABLING artists and creatives to create by investing in their creative community.

Back to our local context, because gazing at greener pastures won’t get you there –  there IS quite a lot of Art and Culture happening/ being produced right here. Right here in Trinidad and Tobago. Right here in the Caribbean, all year round.  

In addition to the array of fetes during Carnival season
– there are so many Trinbagonian creatives, showing us what they were born to do.  Art exhibitions, fashion shows, local film, spoken word events, drawing and Poetry sessions: 12 months of the year.

Carnival is just ONE aspect of our Trinbagonian Arts and Cultural scene.

So just maybe – the perceived “lack of anything creative ” to  see or do in Trinidad and Tobago has everything to do with us. Our level of involvement (or lack thereof) in supporting our own Artists and cultural initiatives – in a serious, yearlong dedicated, sustainable way. Top to bottom. Governance to citizen.

A New Year is always a fresh start. A lucky chance to discover something new, to open up, to rethink what we know.  Maybe this year, it is time to lean in closer to the mirror – the mirror created by our Artists – who are constantly translating our contemporary, Caribbean experience through their work in visual Art, film, fashion, writing, performance, music….we have it right here: bubbling, spreading, overflowing.  A look in the mirror and we will see ourselves.

In 2019 – our family at Culturego Magazine wishes you absolute enjoyment of the Arts that live here. We encourage you to support the work of our Trinbagonian and Caribbean creatives: give priority to local and Caribbean creative content on radio/ television, attend events, support local film, purchase a ticket for a Performance, discover a new musical band, a writer who speaks about tropical fruit….

Art and Culture need air, space, inspiration and an enabling environment to live and grow. As anything organic and real.

Happy creative and artful New Year! Culture is all.