Hotels urged to steer tourists to MoBay cultural events

WESTERN BUREAU:

Montego Bay must broaden its cultural and entertainment offerings beyond traditional tourism staples if it is to become a truly multidimensional destination, Chamber of Commerce president Jason Russell has argued.

Russell said events showcasing art, music, dance and food are critical to building a city that offers meaningful experiences for residents and visitors while creating economic opportunities for Jamaica’s creative community.

“It can’t be one dimensional. We have to have multiple dimensions: art, music, dance, food,” Russell told The Gleaner at the inaugural Art on the Bay exhibition at Pier 1 in Montego Bay on Sunday.

“These things are important every day, every month, every year, to have a true destination.”

Art on the Bay brought together 22 established and emerging artists, transforming the pier into an open-air gallery featuring paintings, sculptures and photography.

The exhibition, coordinated by artist Hilroy Bulgin, was designed to provide artists with another avenue to showcase and sell their work while giving families and art lovers an opportunity to interact directly with the creatives.

For Russell, however, the event represented something larger: an opportunity to broaden perceptions of both Montego Bay and Jamaica, particularly among visitors.

“I would love to see more tourists. I would love to see the hotels allow more marketing on the inside and push to get the tourists to come and see what this is,” he said.

He argued that Jamaica’s cultural offering extends far beyond the images traditionally marketed internationally.

“Jamaica is not just reggae music and beach and coconuts, but we have fabulous artists of many, many kinds,” he said.

Russell, who admitted being surprised by the number of artists represented at the exhibition, said he would like to see Art on the Bay become a regular fixture, possibly staged quarterly as it develops.

“At the end of the day, it’s not just about drawing something. It’s about selling it,” he said, pointing to the potential economic benefits for participating artists.

Monique Gilpin, assistant curator at National Gallery West, agreed that events such as Art on the Bay could help expose a wider cross-section of Jamaicans to the visual arts.

Gilpin said conventional galleries remain important, but taking art into less traditional spaces can make it more accessible, particularly to families who might not ordinarily visit a gallery.

“Art on the Bay is incredibly important because it is a platform for Western artists to showcase their works outside of the many traditional platforms,” she said.

“You have your typical gallery spaces. While those spaces are necessary, spaces like this sort of give it a more cultural appeal.”

AUTHENTICITY

Gilpin also suggested that the rise of artificial intelligence and digitally generated imagery could ultimately heighten appreciation for traditional art.

She argued that handmade works carry an authenticity that some viewers may increasingly value in an era when digital images can be produced almost instantaneously.

“People put their heart and soul and time into this work, where something digital can be easily created in like a matter of minutes,” she said.

For exhibitor Carol Small, one of the biggest surprises was the level of interest from Montegonians.

Small admitted that she arrived at Pier 1 uncertain about how receptive patrons would be, believing Kingston traditionally had a stronger market for art exhibitions.

“I was coming in doubt,” she acknowledged.

The response changed her mind.

“Here, surprising, very surprising. Almost everybody that comes to my tent is interested,” Small said, adding that several patrons told her they wanted to see the exhibition staged again.

Small believes Jamaica needs more art exhibitions to help educate the public about the value of creative works and provide opportunities for people to speak directly with artists.

“The more art shows that you put on, and the more persons attend, they will realise. And, when you speak to them, they get a better understanding,” she said.

Art on the Bay is intended to become an ongoing initiative, with organisers hoping to strengthen appreciation for the creative arts while adding another family-friendly cultural attraction to western Jamaica.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com