During the official inauguration of the newly repurposed National Performing Arts Centre on a Friday, Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne laid out a sweeping government initiative to weave local cultural heritage directly into the island nation’s core tourism offerings, with dual goals of driving higher tourist expenditure and creating sustainable livelihoods for the country’s creative community.
Browne emphasized that the administration no longer frames national culture as a symbolic, identity-focused facet of public life, but as a tangible, high-growth economic asset that can generate formal employment, nurture small local enterprises, and elevate Antigua and Barbuda’s unique competitive edge in the crowded global Caribbean tourism market. The newly launched National Performing Arts Centre, renovated from the long-shuttered historic Deluxe Cinema, serves as the first anchor of this integrated policy, offering a dedicated, purpose-built venue for local musicians, dancers, theatre troupes, and oral storytellers to stage public performances for both visiting tourists and local residents.
The prime minister also detailed follow-up infrastructure investments to expand the creative hub around the centre: a nearby adjacent building has already been acquired to be converted into a shared creative arts studio, and Browne confirmed he has issued formal instructions for the government to purchase a second adjoining property to extend the campus further. Beyond infrastructure, the policy framework is designed to embed authentic local cultural artifacts, interactive workshops, and curated cultural experiences across all of Antigua and Barbuda’s tourism touchpoints, moving beyond generic sun-and-sand holiday packages to deliver one-of-a-kind immersive experiences that encourage visitors to stay longer and spend more on local goods and services. Browne noted that the strategy is structured to ensure local artists are not only recognized for their creative contributions to national life, but are given the tangible resources, platforms, and market access needed to turn their creative work into stable, full-time careers, with training and support designed to help top Antiguan and Barbudan creatives compete on international stages.
“Our culture is far more than a marker of who we are as a people,” Browne stated in his address. “It is a high-value economic resource that we will intentionally monetize and leverage to upgrade our entire tourism product, create new jobs across the creative sector, and share the very best of what Antigua and Barbuda has to offer with the rest of the world. I urge all our creative community members not to limit their ambitions, because we are building the infrastructure and support system to help you succeed not just at home, but across the global creative industry.”
Antigua and Barbuda plans more cultural experiences for tourists
