The Lone Caribbean Creative: Navigating the Global Arts Scene as a Party of One
I remember it vividly: the 2019 Prague Quadrennial, the world’s largest and most prestigious event dedicated to performance design, scenography, and theater architecture. I was eagerly making my way to a gathering of South American and Caribbean theater designers and professionals. It was a rainy, humid, hot day, and I was severely overdressed for the weather. The international exhibitions saw installations from countries around the world, yet none were from the Caribbean. Despite this, I held on to the excitement of meeting like-minded theater professionals from the Caribbean as I was almost certain there’d be some. The fantasy of bonding and forging lifelong connections was on replay in my mind.
Having spent the last six months in Italy pursuing my Masters in Arts and Culture Management, where I was the only Caribbean person in my school and social circles, I was eager to connect with my own. As I arrived at the gathering, I shed my umbrella and a layer of clothing to make myself more comfortable. I looked around for any sign of my Caribbean people—a flag, some local food, music—but found none. It turned out that I was not only the sole Caribbean person on the PQ staff, but also the only one at the entire conference.
It’s a strange and isolating feeling to be a party of one at these World events. My mind’s gears started turning as I saw a need for the representation of the Caribbean at a global event like this, and pondered how this could potentially be fixed or, at the very least, addressed.
This was just one of many instances in my journey as a Caribbean Creative in the international world of theater and live entertainment where I found myself representing the entire Caribbean. Why aren’t there more Caribbean creatives in the broader arts world, particularly in arts design and management? Is the Caribbean a forgotten voice, or one that needs to speak louder?
How can we garner the much-needed representation in global theater and live entertainment?
Alone At Sea
After taking a five-year break from my seafaring life as an entertainment technician, I stepped into a similar role aboard a luxury mega yacht bound for Antarctica. Though I had left the consumer-driven world of ships to focus on work aligned with positive social change, I eagerly embraced the travel, financial, and networking opportunities this role offered. During the first week, as I acclimatized to my new surroundings, I asked my colleagues, “So, where are the other Caribbean people?”
My question met with long pauses, confused expressions, and vague mentions of crew members who might be from the region. Among a crew of 300, I stood as the only Caribbean person onboard—a realization that filled me with unease. In my previous ship experiences, I had met a handful of Caribbean people, including a few from my home country, Trinidad and Tobago. Yet, finding someone from the Caribbean in the performing cast or technical crew remained rare.
Whether on land or at sea, being the lone Caribbean creative is a heavy burden to bear. Comments like, “…but you’re not Black,” “You sound Indian,” and “What language do you speak in your country?” constantly remind me of the pervasive ignorance about my culture. And then there’s the daily, “Ya mon!” greeting that, though meant in jest, subtly underscores the exoticization of the Caribbean and creates a communication barrier that’s difficult to overcome.
Despite these challenges, I persist.
I seize every opportunity to educate my peers and address their misconceptions. It’s startling how little people know about the transatlantic slave trade and the importation of indentured Indian laborers to the region, which contributed to the “melting pot” of Caribbean people and traditions. I’ve become skilled at passionately explaining the rich Carnival festivals of the Caribbean and other vibrant celebrations and events. Through it all, I operate with the professionalism and efficiency that have been ingrained in me—because that’s who I am.
What Can Be Done?
The Caribbean consists of unique islands, each with its own history and subcultures. We are storytellers with a vibrant perspective deserving global recognition. New mediums allow our cultural products, like Carnival, to be reimagined and brought into the modern era. Caribbean governments must drive initiatives to fund such projects, enabling us to compete and be respected internationally.
As a people, we in the Caribbean are resourceful and hard working. We exude poise and talent that should be celebrated on the world stage, not overlooked. To achieve this, we must take active steps to ensure that our stories, culture, and artistry are not only preserved but also allowed to flourish and evolve. It is crucial for Caribbean governments, cultural institutions, and private entities to invest in the arts, creating opportunities for Caribbean creatives to gain visibility and credibility internationally. By doing so, we can foster a new generation of artists, designers, and cultural managers who carry our vibrant heritage forward, ensuring that Caribbean voices are not just heard but embraced in global conversations.
We must ask ourselves: How can we inspire the next wave of Caribbean creatives, entertainment technicians and designers to take the global stage? The answer lies in education, support, and a collective effort to elevate our cultural products—making them not only accessible but also irresistible to the world. The Caribbean has much to offer, and it’s time we claim our rightful place at the table.
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Editor's Note: At StageLync, an international platform for the performing arts, we celebrate the diversity of our writers' backgrounds. We recognize and support their choice to use either American or British English in their articles, respecting their individual preferences and origins. This policy allows us to embrace a wide range of linguistic expressions, enriching our content and reflecting the global nature of our community.
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