US$1.1 spent on WorldBeat '99

As Trinidad and Tobago makes its bid to become the cultural centre for the region.

by Wayne Bowman
Port of Spain, Trinidad

Music fills the world with happiness - plenty sweetness and togetherness," sang the Mighty Shadow in his soca hit single, "Dingolay." A pity the Bassman from Hell could not add, "Music fills the pockets" to his ditty, since such only happens on the off chance here in the land of limbo, calypso and perform just for so.

Many regional entertainers perform with the expectation of receiving only the intangible appreciation of their audience and the remuneration of a cheese sandwich, two hot wings, a chicken puff and a Chubby. Many survive by doing odd jobs or even working full-time, which leaves them with little time to develop or properly market their talents.
However, Trinidad and Tobago's Tourism and Industrial Development Company (TIDCO) has embarked on a project that may change all this by financing the first leg of what may be the most critical project for creating a viable entertainment industry on the island.
The month of October will now be designated Entertainment Month in Trinidad and Tobago and will become the focal point of an annual cultural and musical presentation in the region. Each year, TIDCO will put together a comprehensive package of activities all geared towards the marketing and development of the island's entertainment sector.
TIDCO's mandate is to ensure that the industry is well positioned to compete effectively in the global arena by promoting the holistic and sustainable development of the entertainment sector. To this end the organisation hosted a series of events this past October that were tailored to set the wheels in motion, for what will be an annual promotion campaign of the entertainment industry.
Included in the series of events are the World Carnival Conference and the Carnival Arts Trade Show. The conference culminates on the last Sunday of the month with Trinidad and Tobago's Music Awards.
The main attraction of the conference was the International World Beat Music Festival, which features international performers nightly throughout the course of the festival. This year the line-up included the likes of Baba Maal, Hugh Masekela, Nitin Sawney, David Rudder, Xtatik, Mungal Patasar & Pantar and other respected musicians.
The festival was produced by Imagineers Limited, which is a partnership company set up by TIDCO and Media Scheme Limited of Britain. Managing Director of Imagineers Limited, Dr. Andre Vincent Henry says that the long-term plan is for the festival to become a permanent fixture on Trinidad's annual events calendar.
However, TIDCO's intention is to see the event become firmly established and then sell it off to any entrepreneur that would be interested in buying the festival rights. The company is confident that the festival will eventually grow into a profitable venture offering lucrative returns, not only for the producers but for all involved such as performers, concessionaires and others who will serve on the periphery.
"Initially Imagineers was looking at the three to five year commitment to the festival, but on deeper thought it was decided that this was not the direction we wanted to take. The plan is that within a year or two, the festival would be able to stand on its own so that by 2001 to 2002 some corporate body will see it as a business opportunity and buy us out. You see, TIDCO is not in the business of concert promotions. We have simply created the package and once we've made it a success, we expect that someone would want to run with it," Henry said.
The first International World Beat Music Festival failed to attract the 20,000 to 30,000 strong crowd per night that had been projected. On opening night just about 1,000 people showed up and even though attendance increased steadily as the festival progressed, ticket sales came no where close to the projected volume. By the close of the festival on Saturday, which in fact achieved a patron count of about 9,000, just over 16,000 people had attended the entire four-day event.
This shortfall of at least 54,000 may have shaken the more shortsighted investor. Imagineers however was not distressed since they were looking at the big picture and the potential long term benefits once the festival has the chance to become established. In fact, one bright note for the producers was that they were even able to host the festival at a cost below what was originally expected.
The budgeted expenditure for this the first International World Beat Music Festival in Trinidad was US$1.4 million. However it actually cost just about US$1.1 million to produce. This represented the cost of contracting artists, hotel costs, advertising, transportation and airfare, salaries, venues, technical costs and sundries. Though Imagineers failed to turn an immediate profit at this initial festival, they are looking towards the potential long term economic benefits.
TIDCO was in fact expecting to cover its costs and still have a small surplus from the festival. Any surplus would have been invested into the local entertainment industry. However, regardless of the monetary returns of this first outing, the company is confident that the festival will continue to produce economic benefits for years to come.
"October is traditionally a low season on the annual tourism calendar so we are looking to create an event that would attract visitors, while providing a springboard for the local entertainment industry," says Dr Henry.
"I should add here that as recently as 1997 it was realised that the entertainment sector is the seventh largest contributor to the nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Music makes up a large percentage of that contribution, so once we can boost the music industry by improving its international marketability, we will be increasing national revenue.
"In the long run we will create two major entertainment poles - Carnival in the first quarter of the year and Entertainment Month, which would feature the World Beat Festival in October. As the entertainment sector rises, we expect that other sectors would benefit as well, for example tourism, manufacturing and service industries. We do not want to have any one sector develop in isolation, whatever work we do in one sector, we link it to another."
Henry says that the potential for immediate returns on investment from the festival is great since there are several avenues through which profits can be derived.
"We are looking at the revenue to be earned from the goods and services within the festival such as ticket sales, concessions, merchandising and the compilation CD's that will be produced from the live performances.
"In fact, long after the festival is over we will be reaping benefits for the local entertainment industry since we'll have journalists from Billboard, Vibe, Rhythm magazines as well as other major trade publications to advertise what we have. It's as if they are paying us to show the world what we have here in Trinidad and Tobago."
Henry says that though Trinidad and Tobago is not seeking to compete with St. Lucia or Barbados and their annual jazz festivals, we do have just a bit more to offer.
"I believe that we are starting with a much richer musical base than they had at the beginning of their festivals. Here in Trinidad and Tobago we have calypso, chutney, pan, parang and so many other music indigenous forms from which we can build. Once the International World Beat Festival establishes itself as a major annual event across the globe, the benefits will flow down to all other sectors," Henry said.
The dates for this year's International World Beat Music Festival have already been set and discussions are being held with several international sponsors to promote the event worldwide. The festival will take place from Friday 27th to Sunday 29th October. The line-up of international acts to be featured at this show will be decided by December 15 and preparations should begin in earnest by January 2000.
TIDCO and its Imagineers put its money where everyone's mouths have been for the past three decades or so, putting its reputation and economic position at risk. They proved beyond a doubt that the local entertainment industry has what it takes to move on up on its own, once it's given a chance to master standing on its own.
"This country's own artists performed alongside the world's biggest music legends on the biggest stage to ever be constructed in the region and the entire island stood tall. The result is that Trinidad and Tobago has established itself as the legitimate Entertainment Capital of the Caribbean," says Dr Henry.

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