Work continues on national culture policy
Culture and heritage steering committee members discuss assessment
(CNS): Efforts to create the Cayman Islands’ first National Culture and Heritage Policy and Strategic Plan took a step forward, with chairs of the six focus-group subcommittees sharing the results of their initial situational assessment at a meeting held Tuesday, 3 May at the Government Administration Building.
The chairs, all of whom also sit on the steering committee, presented work done in their respective areas of focus.
These core areas include land-based heritage (including leisure and cultural tourism); maritime heritage; subcultures, governance and legal aspects; literary arts and oral history; visual arts, crafts and creative industry; and performing arts and festivals.
A situational analysis is an in-depth examination of the current state of affairs in an area. Over the past month, subcommittee members have done research and developed situational analyses for their respective sectors, as well as determined what resources are lacking, with recommendations for filling in the gaps.
Aside from the core areas, key subjects examined by all groups included education, finance, economics, technology and leadership.
Officials will be compiling the results in a report for the Ministry of Culture, which will be incorporated into the framework for the new policy, expected to be rolled out over a 10-year period from 2017 to 2027.
“The chairs of the six subcommittees are to be commended for their incredible level of dedication and focus that their focus groups have shown,” said steering committee chair Jennifer Ahearn, who is also the ministry’s chief officer. “Through their work and the input and expertise of their focus group members, we have been able to have as wide as possible information gathering and analysis, from about 70 people thus far in this process. This will benefit us in the policy-development phase.”
Subcommittee chairs are Christina McTaggart-Pineda of National Trust for the Cayman Islands (land-based heritage subcommittee); Dr Peggy Leshikar-Denton of the Cayman Islands National Museum (maritime heritage); Natasha Powell of the culture ministry (literary and oral tradition); Marcia Muttoo of the Cayman National Cultural Foundation (performing arts and festivals); Natalie Urquhart of the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands (visual arts); Nancy Barnard of the culture ministry and Tonicia Williams of the Legal Department (subcultures, governance and legal).
Category: Culture
