Creative Pulse Brings Grand Bahama’s Creative Community Together

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Photo credit: Skylar J Photography for TDC Bahamas

Grand Bahama’s creative community recently came together for an evening of candid conversation, practical advice and a closer look at what it takes to turn creativity into a sustainable career.

The Tourism Development Corporation’s Creative Industry Tourism Council hosted its inaugural Creative Pulse event in Grand Bahama on August 14 at Mosaic Art Hub. The hybrid event brought members of the island’s Orange Economy together to hear from three Bahamian creatives about building successful careers, protecting their work and recognizing the value of their talents.

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Hosted by Dr. Sophia Rolle, the evening featured singer and songwriter Soaky Siren, photographer and cinematographer Alfred Anderson, and corporate and luxury event coordinator Davina Rutherford.

For multi-platinum-selling and multi-Grammy-nominated songwriter Soaky Siren, one of the evening’s key messages centered on creatives recognizing their intellectual property as an asset.

“Intellectual property is a financial instrument,” she said, pointing to her songwriting catalogue as the backbone of her career and an asset capable of generating passive income over time.

She also called for greater support for Bahamian talent and a shift in how the country views its creative industries.

“We need to be as excited about the talent that we have at home, and support them on all fronts,” she said. “I would love to see talent treated as an export.”

Anderson turned the conversation toward the business of creativity, particularly for freelancers who may struggle with pricing their services and placing a value on their time.

“You should have the base knowledge of running a successful business,” he told attendees, noting that clients may only see the hours spent on a shoot without considering the years required to develop a skill or the additional time spent editing and delivering the final product.

“Business is paramount when it comes to creativity,” he added.

Rutherford offered another perspective on building a sustainable creative business, encouraging collaboration rather than trying to take on every opportunity alone.

“I’d rather have 10% of 100 than 100% of zero,” she said, explaining that she has learned to bring others onto projects when necessary to get the job done.

She also reflected on the resourcefulness that has long defined Grand Bahama’s creative community.

“Grand Bahama has built a reputation where we've learned how to figure it out,” Rutherford said. “Especially us in the creative industry, we've had to make something out of nothing.”

Established in 2022, the Creative Industry Tourism Council provides programming and resources across four areas: legislation, education, business opportunities, and social and networking opportunities for the Orange Economy. Its initiatives include the Creative Edge Masterclass, Creative Legislation Workshops, Creative Spark Pitch Competition and Creative Pulse Live Podcast.

Following its Grand Bahama debut, Creative Pulse heads to Abaco in September, continuing the conversation around building stronger, more sustainable creative industries throughout The Bahamas.