Every year, around the time of the feast of musicians – St. Cecilia’s Day, which was observed on November 22, there is a hue and cry for more support for local musicians. This year was no different, as the celebration, which was once one of the more popular traditions on Saint Lucia’s calendar of events, was quite lacklustre.
For years, decades even, the country’s music sector has lacked consistent national support.
While bodies like the Carnival Music Management Committee (CMMC), the Eastern Caribbean Collective Organisation (ECCO), and the largely dormant Association of Music Professionals (AMPP SLU) exist, none has offered sustained, year-round advocacy or development for musicians.
In recent years, however, Export Saint Lucia has attempted to fill the gap, at least in part.
Over the past four years, the agency has emerged as a key player in supporting Saint Lucian recording artistes, not just as performers, but as cultural exporters. A statutory body tasked with boosting the island’s exports across goods and services, Export Saint Lucia has embraced music as part of its creative services mandate.
“Our mandate includes the marketing, promotion and export of Saint Lucia’s music,” Glenfield Gilbert, Director of Client Management at Export Saint Lucia, told St. Lucia Times.
Through its “Music Saint Lucia” platform – developed in partnership with the European Union and funded via the Caribbean Development Bank – the agency has built relationships with a wide range of artistes across genres: Jazz, R&B, Gospel, Hip Hop, Reggae, Soca and Dennery Segment.
“We work with artistes like Ronald Boo Hinkson, Teddyson John, Umpa, Imran Nerdy, and a host of others,” Gilbert notes.
“Our support spans technical, developmental, promotional, and, where possible, financial assistance.
“The artists are always eager to work with us and are very responsive to our calls …”
Export Saint Lucia also collaborates with agencies such as the Ministry of Commerce, Events Company Saint Lucia, and the Carnival Planning and Management Committee (CPMC) to amplify its reach.
Musicians have performed at global showcases, including Expo Dubai and Expo Osaka, and the agency has facilitated their presence at other international events and carnivals.
Notably, for the past two years, Export Saint Lucia has supported local artistes at Dominica’s World Creole Music Festival (WCMF), helping spotlight Dennery Segment and Soca on a regional stage. In 2024, Umpa and Subance performed; this year, Imran Nerdy, Ezra De Fun Machine and Arthur Allain took the stage.
“It was an amazing feeling to be featured on the big WCMF stage,” Ezra said. “Hats off to Export Saint Lucia for not just recognising our talent, but for creating avenues where Saint Lucian music can be showcased before international audiences.”
The agency has also hosted developmental workshops, including a recent “Business of Music” session that covered contracts, riders, bookkeeping and copyright essentials.
In 2024, in collaboration with the CPMC, Export Saint Lucia launched the “Most Exportable Song” award as part of Lucian Carnival. The public and international DJs selected the winner, Imran Nerdy’s Start di Party.
The winner called it “a great experience”. “It just shows that our music is going beyond Saint Lucia and entering that global market. We must say a big thank you to Export Saint Lucia, who helps a lot,” Nerdy said.
Recognising that music is part of a broader orange economy, the agency is also integrating it into events like its annual “Export the Runway” fashion showcase.
It continues to advocate for artistes, whether through government engagement or letters of endorsement for regional and international opportunities.
Looking ahead, Export Saint Lucia plans to expand its creative support through initiatives such as a Music Video Development Forum, a copyright workshop and continued participation in global expos, including upcoming events in Serbia and Saudi Arabia.
With continued investment and collaboration, Export Saint Lucia aims to position music as a viable export and musicians as cultural ambassadors.
