Whenever I am asked to describe the Jamaican cultural and creative sector, the first point I make is that they are complex. One size does not fit all. The Jamaican creative economy is a dynamic space. On one hand, small and medium-size creative entities are becoming integrated into the corporate landscape.

In 2019 The LAB, one of Jamaica’s leading advertising agencies, announced its intention to float an initial public offering (IPO) on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange. It listed later that year.

The creative training institute iCreate Limited’s successful IPO also listed on the Junior Market in 2019; while Main Event Entertainment Group (MEEG) listed in 2017.

Three times is a charm. With the wide range of media houses, advertising and other communication agencies and the growing numbers of commercial visual and performing arts entities, cultural and creative industries have cemented their place in the Jamaican economy.

The Jamaican cultural economy, made up of over 20 subsectors and more than 40 industries, was, up to the time of the pandemic, undergoing a dynamic, creative ecosystem, a veritable renaissance. The pandemic pivot moved the sector into new directions. Cultural and creative industries have become highly dependent on the digital economy. New sectors and subsectors have emerged. So has a new push for formalisation of businesses. The sector has shown increases in division of labour, emphasis on business, professionalisation and training. The creative sector is growing.

Unhappy Independents

Yet, research conducted before the pandemic by British firm Nordicity and the Jamaica Business Development Corporation indicated that 49 per cent of creatives are individual artists. These individual artists and creatives are also known as independents, freelancers or professionals who work-for-hire, many as part of the informal economy on transient, irregular projects and contracts within the gig economy.

Many are highly proficient and extremely talented, yet the study revealed that the majority of Jamaican cultural and creative practitioners are among the working poor. In fact, 71 per cent admitted to earning just over one million Jamaican dollars per year; and 95 per cent of respondents indicated that they earned under four million dollars per year.

35 per cent of creative and cultural businesses earn less than $200,000 pa (assumed PA).

24 per cent earn less than $200,000 in personal income pa.

In the middle are those informal, independent creative workers who have been operating under the radar for a while as informal, independent workers who are not doing as badly; but you will never know as they are decidedly informal. These are among the 22 per cent of respondents to the survey who have identified entrepreneurship support as their most critical need.

Working Poor

Independent creative workers are not, therefore, as independent as their name suggests. They are certainly not financially independent. The pandemic has made their lot worse. Up to the reopening of the entertainment sector in July this year, an estimated revenue loss of $26 billion to the local entertainment subsector prompted that call. 76,000 creative practitioners lost direct and indirect jobs and opportunities for work, for those who had work before the pandemic struck. Many are still not working and those that are active have barely been earning since before the pandemic.

It is clear that independent creative workers need to be a central focus of national planning for this sector. The necessity for actions to positively impact independent creatives is now more critical than ever. This has been heightened by the pandemic. While there are several fixes that are required at a policy level, there are business to business actions that can be taken.

Investing in Independent Creatives

As we prepare to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of our Independence next year, the business of creativity in Jamaica and the development of our cultural sector should certainly, at last, become a central part of our development planning. In the meantime, larger companies can help to push-start a pandemic-afflicted creative sector and lead the transformation of a new economic direction for the region. There are clear and present opportunities for a powerful and transformational corporate sector, to help fast-track the development of a nascent Caribbean creative sector. Creatives are consumers too. You support them, they too will support you.

Larger companies can invest in small creative firms either for equity or get involved in sponsorship arrangements. What creative firms need now as they seek to rebuild is revenue. From fine artists to graphic artists; copywriters to designers; event planners, performers, musicians, architects, writers and audio visual producers or a mixed team of professionals, there are highly proficient creatives that can provide you with cultural and creative services and solutions.

Hire an Independent Creative

Here is how corporate players can, on a day-to-day basis, help to push-start the creative sector.

Hire independent creatives, small creative teams and firms: It may be more convenient to bring in large agencies. How about adding the hire of independent creatives to your creative mix, either through larger firms or as individual practitioners? Often, a real stroke of creative genius can be found within smaller bespoke entities or individual creatives. There are even boutique companies that specialise in managing small creative projects and teams to ensure that you can get the similar levels of efficiency.

Quick turnaround on approvals: A sole trader, or independent creative has based their financial projections on jobs in hand. Projects that extend beyond the agreed dates, place creative independents in very difficult positions for payroll, working capital and other obligations. Keep your side of the bargain and keep the projects to the time agreed. Insist that they do too.

Pay on invoices within seven days. Micro and small businesses do not have the capacity to wait 14, 30, 60 or 90 days for payments on their invoices or to honour purchase orders. Many are operating at subsistence levels. Where you can make those payments early, please do and make a deposit where feasible.

Spread the word: Recommend creatives to other professionals and firms. A complimentary post on social media from a large firm or a well known professional stating their satisfaction with the work of a creative independent, goes a long way in boosting the confidence of the market in that creative and also in other independent creative workers.

Respect the development phase: There are costs associated with developing concepts. This happens in the development phase of a project. The development phase also includes creating the activities budget. Creating budgets for creative work is a technical process. That too is payable work. The budget for the implementation of the project cannot be done until the concept is developed. Larger creative firms can absorb these costs but trust me, you still pay for it, although it may not be charged upfront. Smaller firms are not in a position to absorb these costs so please, budget for the development costs. And pay them up front if requested.

Avoid making requests for speculative work: Contests, competitive tenders and other such forms of speculative work require bidders on the contract to subsidise the project without knowing whether they will get the work. This investment of time and effort means that the independent creative has to defer another project to bid on yours. Ask for an expression of interest, proof of previous work, a bio and a resume. Shortlist and then pay for the concept development phase.

The cataclysmic implications of the pandemic for the cultural and creative sector are yet to take full root. Many micro businesses in the creative sector do not have the means, the collateral or the profile to access working capital that will allow them to get back into the game quickly. They have to depend on their creativity and their will to move their small businesses forward. Larger firms can play their part in the kick-start of the cultural economy. Hire independent creatives and creative teams. Everybody wins.

Dr Deborah Hickling Gordon is a UWI lecturer in cultural and creative industries; member of the UNESCO global, Caricom regional, and the UNESCO Transcultura Cultural Economy expert-facilities. She is a director of Ink and Vision Ltd; president of Women in Film and Television — Jamaica and convener of the Public Relations Society of Jamaica.