“Swank” Encourages More Sweet Cultural Music Production in SKN

(Department of Creative Economy, St. Kitts, September 24, 2024): – The potential reach of prospective culturally rich songs that showcase the sayings, culinary arts and living experiences among other intrinsic behaviours of the nationals and residents of St. Kitts and Nevis was revealed at the Media Launch of the inaugural “Swank” Creative Cultural Music Challenge on Friday, September 20th, 2024.

Minister responsible for Sports and The Creative Economy and Entertainment and The Arts Honourable Samal Duggins outlined that the songs that are to be composed and produced must be culturally relevant and while achieving this objective, the songs will document the Kittitian and Nevisian lived experience.

“Let us document that into our time, so that generations to come will not miss the experience because we would have documented it in our music,” Minister Duggins said, explaining that future generations can hear through music, the experiences of people who live in the Federation.  He encouraged individuals and bands to take part in “Swank” because the songs will document who nationals of the Federation have been and who they are today.

“Our creatives now have a chance to compete in this song writing/production competition around culturally relevant material,” Minister Duggins said.  “So, if there’s a saying in your community, we want you to develop music around that.  If there is a certain process in developing food whether it is jams or the way you do a three-stone down the bay … or you dig up some sea cockroach out the sand and you put them on in a sausage pan on some stone, develop music around that too.”

Director of Culture Pierre Liburd emphatically expressed that it is a very exciting time with the introduction of several cultural initiatives produced by his Department including “Swank.”  He outlined that individuals who are old enough to have experienced the sugar industry would be able to relate to “Swank.”

“Some of us older ones, know a little better the experience of drinking that sweet delicious energizing sugar water to quench our thirst,” Mr. Liburd noted “This initiative is intended to quench our thirst for sweet, sweet St. Kitts-Nevis music – “Swank” (Creative Cultural Music Challenge.)”

The Director of Culture also invited creatives in the music industry to add a little more cultural seasoning to the music mix. 

He outlined that songs could showcase things like cultural foods such as saltfish and conchs; local craft such as coconut work; and experiences such as the enjoyment of jumping off a big stone into the seawater of one of the Federation’s black-sand bays. 

“Our cultural heritage, anything that speaks to St. Kitts and Nevis – infuse more of that into our music,” Mr. Liburd proposed.  “Use the powerful tool that is music to help perpetuate and continue to safeguard and lend reference to and celebrate and pay homage to all those diverse elements of our cultural heritage.”

“Swank,” he expressed, would provide an opportunity for nationals in the diaspora to listen to various songs that generate a sense of nostalgia and warmth and a sense of home once they hear that sweet Swank Sugar City music.

Ambassador to the Department of the Creative Economy, Keeshan Henry aka DJ Tero was also on hand to encourage persons affiliated with the music industry to take part in “Swank.”  He further urged artists to make use of the various digital platforms. 

“Also, persons should promote their songs as well; there’s a lot of digital platforms,” DJ Tero said, noting that many of the Federation’s songs/music could not be found on the more popular digital platforms.  “So, we can’t hashtag the songs. … I do encourage all artists, performers, songwriters to get your songs and your material on the digital platform.”  DJ Tero further encouraged artists to register with the Eastern Caribbean Collective Organization for Music Rights (ECCO) Inc whose role includes the licensing of public use of music in St Kitts and Nevis; collection of music use data; and serving as the key point of contact for music users, advising them on effective music use.

Registration for “Swank” is currently open but closes on Friday, November 1st, 2024.  Competitors can win up to $10,000.  The Best Lyrical Composition will be awarded $2,500, Best Riddim wins $2,500 and People’s Choice will win $5,000.  Interested individuals can go to Facebook @ ich skn or @ skn ich, look for the digital “Swank” flier, and use a smart device to scan the barcode in order to read the registration guidelines.  Further information can be found by emailing ich@gov.kn, by calling 662-9053 or by paying a visit to the Department of Creative Economy (Cultural Heritage), Victoria Road, behind the 17 Degrees entertainment spot.

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