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Tradewatch
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The Official E-Newsletter of the Caribbean Export Development Agency • Vol. 8 No. 3 July 2014
EXPORT PROMOTION
Caribbean Exporters Set Designs on Calabash 2014
The synergistic collaboration between Caribbean Export and
the Calabash International Literary Festival came to fruition with
the staging of Design Caribbean over the course of the three day
event, which was held in Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth, Jamaica
from May 30-June 1, 2014. The Design Caribbean pavilion was
a major attraction in the festival’s peripheral environment,
drawing curious and excited visitors away from the main tent
between stimulating readings and talks. The pavilion was
fashioned in an unobtrusive, but striking design, which seemed
to complement the rustic and beautiful natural environment of
Jake’s, Treasure Beach. The Design Caribbean coordinating team
from Caribbean Export were on hand to facilitate the exhibited
work of the 11 artisans selected from seven territories across
the region as well as the performance featured musician, BéLO
from Haiti, who performed on the opening night of the Festival.
The Calabash Literary Festival has transcended boundaries
and transforms itself into the foremost to literary festival in the
Anglophone Antilles. Calabash offers a unique combination of
striking facades, vibrant and dynamic environment, good food,
integrated community activity and the region’s most respected
literary talent meeting some of the world’s most respected
talent in one place at one magical time of year. It all seems
effortless and gloriously synchronic, but it is the result of the
strategic planning and hard work of the festival’s founders and
organizers since its inception, Justine Henzell and Kwames
Dawes. The duo have created a brand, which is synonymous
with quality, innovation and true Caribbean style. This brand has
come to encompass the other offerings of the settings, namely
the food and the craft of some of Jamaica’s most skilled artists.
Caribbean Export partnered with the Calabash organizers in
order to use this platform to benefit not only local, but also
regional craftpersons.
The Agency published an Expression of Interest which
was enthusiastically answered by dozens of the region’s
finest designers. In the end, the faces of Design Caribbean
2014 were: Barbadian Very Vanita and Avark; Rainforest
Pottery and Arawak Leather Craft of Guyana; Hands in
Clay and Reve Jewellery and Accessories from Jamaica;
Kaj Expressions from Belize; St. Lucian Designs by Nadia;
The Dot Miller collection from the Bahamas; and Haitian
companies Créations Dorées and Belzeb, with the latter also
operating in Grenada. The delegation embodied the spirit
that the Calabash Festival represents.
The pavilion was a treasure trove of hand-made and
exclusive designs and products that would satisfy anyone’s
tastes. The products were a true showcase of the region’s
abundant natural resources, from semi-precious stones to
premiumquality leather. The artisans were not only successful
in making record-breaking sales, but also promising
connections with potential partners and distributors, which
have fuelled their primary goal which was to penetrate
new markets. The exhibitors also forged new relationships
amongst themselves. They took full advantage of the
networking opportunity into create a web of connection
that spans the region. There was a spirit of camaraderie, and
a collective desire for excellence with made the experience
one of a kind for many of the participants.
On the completion of the project, the Executive Director
of Caribbean Export Pamle Coke Hamilton commented
that, “What we have seen this weekend, and throughout
the process of Design Caribbean at Calabash 2014, is the
power that we hold as creative Caribbean people. We have
the power to rivet the attention of people from across the
world, and to communicate our story in whatever medium
we choose. We are gifted with not only undeniable talent,
but also a vision and sense of ingenuity that sets what we
make apart from anything else. The artisans of have made
these truths clear.”
(TW)
Haitian artiste BéLO performing with his band during one of the sets at
Design Caribbean
The Design Caribbean delegation at the Calabash Literary Festival in Jamaica