Jacqueline A. Morris

Saturday, October 30, 2004

If you build it they will come - but what if no-one knows you built it? Hmm?

The rapso seminar held by the Creative and Festival Arts Center on Wednesday last was not that well attended. Maybe because no-one knew it was happening? Even some of the participants were unaware of the event until days in advance, and the time and location seemed to be almost a state secret. Everything in this country can be promoted by Tantie's email list! And it's free to announce an event. Why would the organisers see fit not to include it there, or in the What's going on section of the newspaper? I'm so riled up about it cause I missed what I was told was a fascinating 2 days of dialogue on the local calypso/rapso environment. I missed Singing Sandara and Black Sage. I missed Machel Montano and Denise Belfon. I was only there for 3canal and Brother Resistance because 3canal called me at the last minute! Why is it that so many of our really interesting events are not advertised or marketed? Is it a desire to keep it "exclusive" and then it's so exclusive that it is irrelevant? Or is it that the organisers are too stretched and have no time? Or is it that they don't see the value or need for marketing of the event - along the lines of the "If I build it they will come" model? But how can they come if you don't tell anyone that you built it?