Cultural and creative industries were the fastest-growing sector globally prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, says culture specialist Elise Huffer.
She made the comment at the recent Fiji Art Council’s “Inclusive Economic Recovery through Sustainable Enterprises in the Informal Economies in Fiji” workshop that she co-ordinated for UNESCO.
Ms Huffer said the COVID-19 pandemic had dished a hard blow to the cultural and creative industries, but prior to the pandemic they were growing faster than any other sector in the world.
“Cultural industries are the fastest-growing sector globally, obviously it took a hit with COVID but prior to COVID it was the fastest-growing,” she said.
She also said UNESCO had launched resilient art or ‘resiliart’ debates across the world and these would also be held in Fiji to hear the voices of artists and the challenges they faced and connect them with policymakers.
“Just like any other sector, whether it’s fisheries, transport or agriculture, you need those voices and you need policymakers to hear those voices, to respond to the issues and the challenges and to promote opportunities for artists.”
Ms Huffer said Fiji and the Pacific were bursting with natural talent and skill in but art was not seen as a professional activity.
“But it is a professional activity and it needs to be understood in that way and promoted as a sector just like any other sector.”
