As small island nations around the globe increasingly turn to creative industries as a driver of both cultural identity and economic growth, the Alwin Bully Foundation (ABF) Inc. has launched a new initiative to spark actionable progress for Dominica’s arts and cultural community. The non-profit, which carries forward the decades-long legacy of cultural champion Dr. Alwin Bully, has opened invitations to local artists, cultural workers and interested members of the public to attend a upcoming public panel discussion focused on expanding and strengthening the country’s creative economy.
Scheduled to take place on Wednesday, July 8 at 7:00 PM local time, the discussion will be hosted at the UWI Global Campus in Roseau, with the campus’ Dominican branch providing on-the-ground support for the event. Centered on the timely theme “Building a Sustainable Arts and Cultural Industries Sector in Dominica,” the panel brings together a diverse cross-section of voices from across the country’s creative landscape to ensure a broad, nuanced conversation.
In an official press release from the foundation, ABF Chairman Severin McKenzie framed the discussion as a timely response to shifting global and local attitudes toward cultural work. Across the world, governments and development organizations are increasingly recognizing that arts and culture do more than preserve national identity—they also act as a robust platform for inclusive social and economic advancement. This growing recognition has created a unique opening for Dominica to refine its approach to supporting its creative sector, and the foundation is eager to center community voices in that process.
McKenzie, an architect and former assistant artistic director of the People’s Action Theatre who will also serve as the panel’s moderator, emphasized that the forum aligns with the foundation’s core mission. The organization is dedicated to advocating for stronger policy frameworks and evidence-based best practices to nurture a dynamic, inclusive cultural sector across Dominica. Beyond that, the initiative directly carries forward the vision of the late Dr. Alwin Bully, whose lifelong contributions to Dominican art and culture continue to guide the foundation’s work to position culture as a core driver of national and regional progress.
To ensure the conversation draws from multiple decades of experience and emerging perspectives, the panel features four industry leaders representing different corners of the creative economy. The lineup includes Raymond Lawrence, a former Chief Cultural Officer, veteran media professional, celebrated dancer, choreographer and long-standing dance advocacy leader; Ian Jackson, a multi-disciplinary creative whose work spans poetry, calypso, songwriting, music production and radio broadcasting; Anita Bully, a seasoned cultural industries consultant and former Film Commissioner for Dominica; and Dylan Registe, an emerging young actor who also serves as First Vice-President of the National Youth Council of Dominica.
Over the course of the public session, panelists will walk through the evolution of Dominica’s arts and cultural landscape, unpacking the long-standing systemic challenges that have held back growth while highlighting untapped opportunities to build a more resilient creative economy. Attendees can expect discussions of actionable, practical strategies to build a more interconnected, supportive creative ecosystem that can sustain a modern, globally competitive cultural industries sector.
This panel discussion forms one part of the Alwin Bully Foundation’s broader ongoing program to uplift Dominica’s creative community. The foundation’s core priorities include strengthening professional capacity for local cultural practitioners, encouraging deeper collaboration across different creative sub-sectors, and creating consistent spaces for open, meaningful dialogue about the future of Dominican arts.
Organizers have emphasized that all artists, cultural workers and interested members of the general public are welcome to attend. High community turnout, they note, not only enriches the quality of the discussion, but also creates space to build long-lasting cross-sector partnerships that will deliver tangible benefits to Dominica’s creative industries for years to come.