Barbados is moving forward with a targeted government initiative to transform its creative sector into a sustainable, year-round economic driver, with plans to launch a dedicated digital platform connecting local creative practitioners with paid gig opportunities, Culture Minister Senator Shane Archer has announced.
The project, which has been in development following extensive input from young creative workers across the island, aims to address longstanding barriers in the sector, including inconsistent income streams, difficulty matching practitioners with clients, and low uptake of national social security contributions among independent creative workers. Senator Archer emphasized that creative professionals spanning writing, spoken word performance, visual arts, music and other disciplines are already poised for expansion, but require structured support to turn their natural talents into stable, long-term businesses.
“I honestly believe that all sectors in our creative industry are ready for the next step, and are ready to earn all year round,” the minister said. “The point that we have to make is that we need to upscale our young people and our people that are involved in these industries.”
The concept for the digital platform grew out of a recent gig economy workshop hosted by the Division of Youth and Culture at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, where hundreds of young creative workers shared their experiences and needs with policymakers. Once developed, the platform will streamline connections between two groups: creative workers seeking steady projects, and local businesses in need of creative services – from a guitarist for a St Lucy restaurant to a live performer for an east coast hotel event. Beyond matching, the platform will include a built-in “gig calculator” that helps practitioners set competitive, fair service rates while accounting for required National Insurance (NIS) contributions.
This new initiative aligns with a broader national strategy first outlined by Prime Minister Mia Mottley, who called for collaboration between government technology bodies and local young software developers to build a digital framework for the National Portable Benefits Programme back in 2025. Mottley’s original plan centered on supporting gig and non-traditional workers to access National Insurance and Social Security Service (NISSS) benefits, a priority the creative sector platform will advance by encouraging consistent contributions from independent creatives.
Senator Archer noted that the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted just how critical social security coverage is for workers in irregular employment, making NIS participation a core focus of the new programme. “We will have to encourage our persons within the creative sector to also pay the NIS, to also invest in their future because, as we saw through COVID, NIS was important,” he said.
The ultimate objective of the platform, the minister added, is to empower existing creative professionals to scale their businesses while creating new pathways for emerging talent to build careers in the creative industries, supporting broad-based year-round economic growth across the sector.