EVALUATING THE INCUBATION POTENTIAL OF ARTS ORGANIZATIONS IN HAITI

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study is to identify and analyze the available services for artists and student artists in the Haitian cultural ecosystem, the institutions that provide these services, their strengths and their weaknesses. The general lack of support for the Haitian cultural sector, more specifically, the difficulty for most local artists to make a living from their art, constitute the issues leading to a need for research. This study seeks to facilitate the assessment of the incubation potential of local arts organizations, their ability to help artists launch their careers and establish themselves in the marketplace. The researcher conducted a review of the available literature on creative placemaking, community development, arts entrepreneurship and the Haitian culture. However, due to scarce data on the latter, the researcher also interviewed the leaders of various local arts organizations, artists of different generations and backgrounds and other experts in the fields of arts and culture.This study and its findings will be useful to Haitian arts organizations, artists, aspiring artists, students, professionals and all who are interested in cultural issues. It hopes to encourage future efforts to seek thoughtful and innovative solutions to the challenges facing the Haitian cultural sector.