Can Culture Become One of the Caribbean’s Strongest Shared Economies?

Culture lives everywhere in the Caribbean.

It lives in music, language, food, fashion, storytelling, dance, Carnival, faith, family traditions, and the everyday creativity of island people.

But a new research project is asking a bigger question:

Can the Caribbean better understand, protect, support, and invest in its culture as a serious part of national and regional development?

That conversation took center stage in The Hague as the “Where Culture Lives” research project concluded with a symposium bringing together policymakers, researchers, artists, cultural organizations, educators, and stakeholders from across the Kingdom.

The project was commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and carried out by Lemonade and partners, including Jorien Wuite, Ludmila Duncan, Gregory Richardson, and Elton Villareal.

It is being described as the first baseline study examining cultural practices across Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St. Eustatius, and Sint Maarten.

More than 580 people completed surveys, 131 key informants shared their perspectives, over 100 participants took part in validation sessions, and 32 artists submitted creative work.

That matters because culture is often discussed emotionally, but not always measured seriously.

This research attempts to show how culture is practiced, passed down, funded, experienced, and sustained across the islands.

And the findings show that every island has its own cultural strengths.

According to researcher Ludmila Duncan, some communities rely heavily on volunteer networks and cultural associations, while others are driven more by creative entrepreneurship, tourism, and income generation.

For Sint Maarten, that is especially relevant.

The island’s culture is shaped by movement, migration, multilingualism, Carnival, music, food, family networks, and the influence of both sides of the island. But cultural workers often face the same challenge: there is talent, there is creativity, and there is public interest — but not always enough structure, funding, data, or long-term support.

The research argues that culture should not be treated only as entertainment or ceremony.

It can also be part of education, youth development, tourism, entrepreneurship, heritage preservation, and economic resilience.

That is where the idea of the orange economy comes in.

The orange economy refers to the value created through culture, creativity, design, music, film, art, performance, heritage, and intellectual property. For small islands, it may offer an opportunity to create income and jobs without depending only on construction, tourism, or imported goods.

But the report also warns that culture must not be reduced to a product for visitors.

Community ownership, authenticity, and the voices of local artists must remain at the center.

One of the standout elements of the project was the Where Culture Lives Artist Prize.

Six artists from across the islands were selected to respond creatively to the question: Where does culture live on your island?

Sint Maarten was represented by artist KYRO, alongside Principio, also known as Genesis, from Curaçao; Dillon Rannou from Bonaire; Rhea Courtar from Statia; Angelita Peterson from Saba; and Ariadne Wever from Aruba.

Their work helped demonstrate that artists are not only performers or entertainers.

They are also researchers, historians, storytellers, and witnesses to the lives of their communities.

Gregory Richardson says sustainable cultural development requires continued monitoring, stronger links between cultural education and talent development, and deeper regional collaboration.

That means the real work begins after the report.

The Ministry is preparing translations to make the findings more accessible across the islands. Lemonade is also developing an interactive platform where research, artist contributions, and comparative data can be shared more widely.

And there are plans to explore a broader Caribbean consortium focused on cultural mapping, research, knowledge exchange, and cooperation.

For Sint Maarten, the message is clear.

Culture is not only something we celebrate during Carnival, Emancipation Day, or St. Martin Day.

Culture is one of the ways we understand who we are.

And if it is properly supported, it can also help shape how we grow.

Because culture does not only live in museums, classrooms, or on stage.

It lives in the people.

And the future of Caribbean culture may depend on whether the region is ready to treat that truth as both an identity and an investment.

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