Cultural Agreement with the Government of Barbados and Caribbean States - the Case of the Republic of Cuba

The cultural cooperation agreement between Barbados and Cuba has resulted in fruitful and fluid cultural exchanges which have provided a myriad of opportunities for cultural practitioners, policymakers, academics and stakeholders in the cultural industries of each country. These activities have been implemented through the active Barbados – Cuba Joint Commission which reviews the areas of collaboration between the two countries and has a work programme attached to it. The meetings of the Joint Commission are convened annually and are hosted alternately by Barbados and Cuba. These meetings are intended to create a forum for dialogue at a policy and technical level between officials of the two countries based on existing and new areas of cooperation.

The work of the Commission has been very effective and has been realised through the numerous exchanges which have occurred in the area of dance, visual arts, literary arts, festivals, exhibitions, study tours, scholarships and collaborations with cultural organisations and institutes. The most recent initiatives have been geared towards a focus on the cultural industries with an interest in mutual collaboration in the area of film and digital media.