Art in Trinidad and Tobago

The Ministry of Culture and Community Development and its Culture Division support cultural policy, skills development, festival development, heritage preservation and artist-related programmes. The National Museum and Art Gallery maintains a national collection and offers exhibitions, workshops, lectures, publications, research, loans and reproduction services. NALIS provides libraries, heritage collections and access to literary, photographic, audio, video and manuscript materials, including an ISBN service for Trinidad and Tobago publications. Artistic training follows both formal and community-based routes. UTT Academy for the Performing Arts offers four-year Bachelor of Fine Arts programmes in Performing Arts, Performing Arts and Music, and Digital Media Arts. Admission is competitive and may involve an audition and interview; diploma and mature-entry routes may also be available. Pan yards, community music schools, cultural camps, Best Village, Mentoring by the Masters, faith-based groups, non-governmental organisations and other community programmes provide informal or non-formal learning. Local practices include calypso, soca, rapso, chutney, parang, tassa, tambrin, extempo and steelpan. MusicTT supports music business development, events, licensing, publishing and sync opportunities. FilmTT assists with production directories, locations, local producers, equipment, crew and entry or work-permit facilitation. Its Production Expenditure Rebate Programme uses different qualifying-spend rates for international productions and Trinidad and Tobago producers, with additional support for local labour; current programme conditions should be checked before applying. A qualifying international production generally needs a Trinidad and Tobago-registered production company and a local producer. Provisional applications are due at least six months after principal photography, and final applications at least three months after the premiere. The National Registry of Artists and Cultural Workers is a free certification and bonafide system for Trinidad and Tobago citizens. An individual application can require citizenship evidence, work samples for each field, a recommendation, a profile of no more than 300 words and a headshot. Registration is valid for five years and can be renewed. Certification supports access and professional identification, but it is not a general professional licence. Funding may come through Culture Division grants, the Sponsorship and Subventions Secretariat, the National Days and Festivals Fund, the Culture and Creative Arts Fund, sponsorships, subventions, CARE Fund support, or calls from MusicTT, FilmTT and FashionTT. CARE applications should generally be submitted at least three months before the project date and may require a budget, proposal, bank information and registration documents. Costs, deadlines and eligibility vary by programme, venue, institution and call. Copyright arises automatically when an eligible work is created and fixed in a form; registration is not required for protection. Protected categories include literary, musical, dramatic and choreographic works, films and other audiovisual works, architecture, fine and applied art, photography and software. Rights can cover reproduction, public performance or communication, broadcasting, translation and adaptation, while moral rights also apply. The usual copyright term is the author’s lifetime plus 50 years, and neighbouring rights commonly last 50 years. Works of mas are expressly protected. For audiovisual works and works of mas, the producer is generally the original rights holder unless a contract provides otherwise. Architecture has separate professional rules. Under the Architecture Profession Act No. 19 of 1992, the title Registered Architect is protected by the Board of Architecture of Trinidad and Tobago. A person who is not registered may not use that title, advertise as a Registered Architect, or sign or stamp plans, designs or specifications as one. Tobago has additional governance through the Tobago House of Assembly and its Department of Tourism, Culture, Antiquities and Transportation. The Tobago Performing Arts Company, Tobago Festivals Commission and Tobago schools and community programmes form part of its cultural infrastructure.