Culture Division
Culture Division develops and implements policies, plans, programmes, projects, procedures and partnerships that preserve, develop, and promote Culture, Heritage, the Arts and the Cultural & Creative Industries. The overall goal is to grow the Culture Sector’s contribution to national life inclusive of the communal identity, sense of wellbeing, cultural confidence, patriotism, national economy and Values, Attitudes & Beliefs [VABs] in which all citizens participate. Its internal Teams structure directly corresponds to its strategic priorities. These are as follows:
Grants, Sponsorship and Subventions Secretariat
This Secretariat Processes applications for the following grants:
- National Days and Festivals Fund, which provides support for observances of major festivals and public holidays.
- Culture and Creative Arts Fund, which is used to assist the conduct of artistic activities.
- Sponsorship, which supports projects that attract visitors to Trinidad and Tobago.
- Subventions, which are provided to select national organisations and umbrella agencies.
Development of Competencies in the Literary and Creative Arts
This team facilitates training opportunities that give Trinidad and Tobago’s artists and creative professionals added value on the world market by:
- Providing learning opportunities for artists/cultural workers and young people to improve on their natural talents;
- Broadening their skill set and;
- Building entrepreneurial skills; and
- Fostering organizational strengthening.
Core Programmes in this area include Cultural Camps (which provide heritage and artistic exposure to young people) and the Music School in the Community (which delivers multifaceted music education and administrative training at the community level).
Culture Division develops and implements policies, plans, programmes, projects, procedures and partnerships that preserve, develop, and promote Culture, Heritage, the Arts and the Cultural & Creative Industries.
Development of Cultural Industries Team
This team focuses on building the income generation capacity of Creatives. One of its core programmes is the National Registry of Artists and Cultural Workers, which is a certification system that establishes the bonafide of Creatives in the Cultural Sector. The Registry also conducts the Mentoring by the Masters Programme, which facilitates knowledge transfer from experienced Creatives to buying persons in their respective fields.
Festival Development & Cultural Promotion Team
Central to the work of Festival Development, is audience development. This team also manages the major productions of the Culture Division. This includes cultural exchanges, international tours, marquee performances, national celebrations, festival interventions, and major launches among other activities.
Heritage Preservation Team
Heritage preservation includes the conduct of several exhibitions designed to celebrate National Days and Festivals, the management of special collections like the Mighty Sparrow Memorabilia exhibition and the maintenance of a cultural archive that dates back to the National Cultural Council of the 1970s. Its core programme is the National Days and Festivals Exhibition Series. Exhibitions include inter alia: the Carnival Exhibition, Divali, Women in Calypso, Spiritual Shouter Baptist Liberation, Indian Arrival; and Independence and Republic Day.
