Visual arts in the Caribbean

Aesthetics, ethics and economy: a virtuous triangle to promote the visual arts as a public good in the Caribbean

An online event of the UNESCO Transcultura program explores trends in fine and visual arts to improve opportunities for young artists and cultural professionals in the Caribbean.

The global art market has experienced significant fluctuations over the past two years which, with the effects of COVID-19, led to a profound digital transformation. In order to meet the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities presented by these changes for young artists and cultural professionals, the UNESCO program Transcultura: Integrating Cuba, the Caribbean and the European Union through Culture and Creativity, funded by The European Union, hosted an online debate on contemporary fine and visual arts on January 18, 2024. The event was organized in collaboration with the Association of European Visual Artists (EVA).

Participants, including artists, researchers and art managers from Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, Belgium, Germany and Spain, discussed trends in the global art market. According to recent studies,[1] this creative industry mobilized a total of $67.8 billion in 2022, with a year-on-year growth of 3%, its second highest level to date. Beyond its economic value, they also highlighted the important role of fine and visual arts in society.

The visual arts are above all a discursive element and a vehicle for freedom of expression, sometimes much more eloquent than words.
Anne Lemaistre
Director of the UNESCO Regional Office in Havana
The event offered a rich exchange on the evolution of the value of art, which is no longer determined solely by the aesthetic, technical or expressive qualities of the work, but by its capacity to construct meaning, to mobilize thought and world opinion around topics and problems of common interest such as climate change, social inclusion or gender equality.

Artistic projects can stimulate ecological and social awareness in the neighborhood, intertwine the identity of a community with artistic expression, and link art with the educational field to generate transformative discourses.
María Tolmos (Spain)
Director of Nave Oporto
Participants also explored various artistic expressions, historical schools, styles and formats. They highlighted the expansion of the visual arts beyond traditional spaces towards digital and urban ecosystems, with a strong presence of design, illustration, graffiti, poster art, 3D architectural modeling conceived as a work of art, industrially manufactured objects , photography and video mapping, among others. They agreed that this evolutionary dynamic of the art industry – in concept and form – creates opportunities for the discourses of young Caribbean artists to become visible and to access global art markets.

We need more Caribbean writers and journalists writing about Caribbean art, more commercial galleries, fine arts incubator programs in the form of artist residencies and studios. A great step forward for the region would be to have a Caribbean art fair to connect artists with the international market.
Richard Nattoo (Jamaica)
Visual artist
Through this initiative, the Transcultura program promotes integration, knowledge exchange and networking at the regional level in order to promote opportunities for young cultural professionals from 17 Caribbean countries.