The Tobago Performing Arts Company (TPAC) recently participated in the Caribbean In Transit Meeting Place Festival, a regional gathering of cultural leaders, policymakers, and creative practitioners focused on the future of the Caribbean’s creative economy. Held from March 10–12, 2026 at the Central Bank Auditorium in Trinidad, the festival created a platform for dialogue around the structure and sustainability of creative ecosystems.
Under the theme “Urban Transit: Carnival of Creatives,” the event examined festivals as systems of movement, of ideas, people, capital, and culture, while exploring key areas such as creative financing, intellectual property, governance frameworks, and cross-border collaboration. The programme featured case studies and perspectives from across the Caribbean and international territories including Brazil, Korea, and the Bahamas, offering both conceptual frameworks and practical models for cultural development.
Representing TPAC at the event was its CEO Mr. Jared Prima, who utilized the festival’s platform to engage with regional and international perspectives on the structuring of creative ecosystems In Tobago. Mr. Prima stated:
“The festival created a meaningful space for dialogue between practitioners, policymakers, and cultural leaders, moving beyond creative expression into systems thinking, examining financing, governance, intellectual property, and the role of festivals within broader economic frameworks. Forums such as these are critical for strengthening collaboration within the Caribbean creative sector.”
A major theme emerging from the festival was the positioning of Carnival as both a cultural and economic system, with the capacity to function as a hub for film production, storytelling, and the generation of exportable intellectual property.
During his participation, Prima engaged with creatives, festival managers, and institutional leaders, identifying opportunities for future partnerships in areas such as co-productions, cultural policy development, and knowledge exchange. The festival also introduced digital platforms designed to support ongoing collaboration beyond the physical event, further positioning TPAC within a broader network of regional and international stakeholders.
The insights gained from the festival are expected to inform TPAC’s ongoing development, particularly in areas such as content creation, film and digital storytelling, training and mentorship structures, and the integration of festival development within wider cultural and economic frameworks.
“The most significant takeaway from the festival is the importance of intentional, structured development of the creative sector,” Mr. Prima noted. “Successful cultural economies are not built on talent alone, but on systems—investment frameworks, training pipelines, intellectual property protection, and institutional alignment.”
As Tobago continues to strengthen its presence within the regional and international creative landscape, TPAC’s participation in forums such as the Caribbean In Transit Meeting Place Festival underscores its commitment to building a resilient, forward-facing cultural institution and contributing to the collective advancement of the Caribbean’s creative industries.
This media release has been published as received from the Tobago Performing Arts Company (TPAC)
About the Tobago Performing Arts Company (TPAC):
The Tobago Performing Arts Company (TPAC) is a premier multi-disciplinary arts institution under the Tobago House of Assembly dedicated to enriching Tobago’s creative sector. TPAC champions artistic excellence through dynamic performance productions, artist development initiatives, and cultural tourism ventures, ensuring that Tobago’s artistic voice resonates both regionally and internationally.
For more information about TPAC, its initiatives, and upcoming events, follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/tobagoperformingarts or on IG @tobagoperformingarts.
The Trinidad and Tobago Performing Arts Network 