Jamaica is positioning its creative economy not only as a cultural asset, but as a strategic engine for tourism, global branding and long-term economic growth.

Addressing delegates last Wednesday at the Jamaica Creative Career Expo – held in collaboration with the Island Music Conference (IMC) at Kingston’s Courtleigh Auditorium, then Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia “Babsy” Grange underscored a decisive shift in how the sector is being treated at the policy level.

“The creative economy is no longer informal… it is strategic,” she declared, emphasizing that strong cultural institutions and modern governance frameworks must underpin the industry’s continued expansion.

For a country whose global reputation has been shaped by music, sport and cultural exports, the message signals consolidation rather than reinvention. The focus, Minister Grange suggested, is now on ownership, intellectual property and infrastructure.

“The future of music is not only about performing or producing — it is about ownership,” she said, pointing to publishing, distribution and intellectual property as key drivers of sustained wealth creation in the modern music business.

Her framing of the government’s role was equally deliberate: not interference, but enablement

“Government must ensure that the infrastructure is in place to enable the industry,” she noted — a position that resonates strongly in a region where creative communities have historically operated with limited structural support.

Minister Grange remained engaged throughout the day’s proceedings, interacting with students and industry stakeholders alike, reinforcing a broader vision of culture as economic infrastructure — and, by extension, a pillar of destination development.

Spice chats with Shaggy and Sharon Burke backstage

Founded by diamond-selling global superstar Orville “Shaggy” Burrell in collaboration with artiste manager/ industry shaper, Sharon Burke and media personality Judith Bodley, the Island Music Conference has evolved into a platform where policy, private sector investment and creative entrepreneurship intersect.

For tourism stakeholders, the alignment is significant. As global travelers increasingly seek authentic cultural immersion, conferences such as IMC position Jamaica not only as a leisure destination but as a regional hub for music business innovation and creative industry leadership.

Across the Caribbean, governments are reassessing culture as a development lever capable of driving exports, employment and global influence. Jamaica appears intent on leading that charge — blending creative excellence with institutional support to strengthen its competitive edge in the global cultural marketplace.

Just last month, Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Culture and Community Development, Michelle Benjamin, declared her intent to evolve and enhance the cultural sector to become a greater contributor to the national economy — echoing a broader regional recalibration.

Panels on Influencer Entrepreneurship, New Rules for Marketing, The Power of Global Radio Play, Breaking Into Publishing and The Power of the Producer informed the packed auditorium throughout the day, and Minister Grange remained present until the very end.

Freelance photojournalist and Overtime Media’s Managing Director, Nigel Telesford, attended the conference and also hosted the panel on Breaking Into Publishing, featuring Ethan Baer of Warner Chappell Music, Sapna Lal of The Lal Firm LLC and Jon Baker of Geejam Studios.