The creative industries have emerged to be a key growth sector in the Caribbean economy through its contribution to GDP, exports, and employment as well as its impact on destination and intellectual property branding. The region has created for decades many globally recognizable artists and events that have generated global reach beyond what the region’s size would suggest.
Shifts in the structure and operation of the global economy, for example, the digitization of cultural content, present new opportunities for expansion and diversification in the Caribbean economy. The aim of this paper is to offer an analysis of the structure and performance of the creative sector and to outline the key challenges and opportunities facing the Caribbean. The paper will then provide an assessment of the trade policy context and regulatory environment. The paper concludes with an industrial and innovation policy framework that identifies specific strategic options for the development of the sector.
