NCF's Focus Shifts to Artiste Management for Development and Growth

The National Cultural Foundation is putting its money behind artiste development.

Chief executive officer Carol Roberts said there would be a switch. Whereas for two years they’ve invested in artistes and their music, now the focus will be on artiste management.

“We need artiste development training for managers. People have to make the difficult decision – am I an artiste manager or am I a booking agent?

“So we need now to begin to do work on that and begin work on packaging of artistes. You will be surprised how many artistes do not have EPKs [electronic press kits] and we’ve been working very quietly with artistes to get that ready,” she said, adding the NCF was going to work with the new artistes moreso and their management team.

“We want to get them [artistes] . . . to understand that you put yourself and your professional future in the hands of your management team so you don’t decide what you wear or you don’t decide how you do your hair. It is done for you within a vision. We will look at the business side of it so that you know where your money is at and where you are due money. Lots of artistes don’t know that.”

She highlighted a few of the new talent out this season.

“We still have a bit of work to do in terms of grooming and stage presentation. And what this does is that it allows the sector to breathe and throw up new talent.

“So here comes Tionne Hernandez, here comes back Grateful Co. And what they do, in turn, is make some veterans now look on and say,’ Let me step up my game’. Here comes Nikita, here comes Fadda Fox and, of course, up in there is Brucelee Almightee.

“But then look at Blood and Mikey with the latter celebrating 20 years in the industry and deciding, ‘No, I am still as fresh as ever’.”

Roberts said she was proud of the work of some who fly the Bajan Flag high when they travel, singling out a few: “There are some who are holding strain constantly and showing why they’re revered the world over – Rupee, Alison Hinds, Edwin Yearwood, King Bubba, Hypasoundz, Marzville – they work hard.”

The CEO said that she had one-on-one conversations, group conversations, there was also a retreat after Trinidad and “now it is time to put in more work”.

“You look around you and you go, ‘All right, what is there to be done?’ I believe you must always look at things and ask yourself, ‘How else could we do this’? And not as naysayers say, changing for change sake, but to say, ‘Can this be done better or can this be done differently?’”