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In mid-April we told you about the Belize Music and Entertainment Industry Development Initiative. It focuses on addressing myriad issues crippling Belize's music industry. During the 1st phase – stakeholders met and compiled a list of issues with business management at the top of the list. But among the major setbacks is the subpar quality of music produced in Belize. Today, producers, promoters and other key players in the industry met at the House of Culture to further engage artists in this musical movement. One of the coordinators discussed the opportunities available for Belizean artists to advance their musical career and the overall vision for the initiative.

Jackie Castillo - Belizean Artist

"So we are going to be having 4 days of workshops. Today is the first day at the house of culture, it's a public forum. We don't have as much representation from the artist community which is a bit disappointing because everybody else here is able to give their feedback on the recommendations that need to happen. I hope over the next couple of days we have the Belizean artists coming out so that they can voice their opinion. Blackberry is here and I have to commend him because he's really committed to the process. There is an entertainment lawyer here, Debra Wagnon that has an amazing opportunity with the university of Tennessee. She is bringing 12 music business producers, sound engineers and other people involved in the music industry - 12 students in Belize. They are going to be making a presentation on Friday at the Black Orchid. This provides an opportunity or a link for Belize to have access to scholarships to a training programme specifically designed for sound engineers and producers. The programme might not be an extensive programme. It's for a year or two years but it's a certificate programme in a different country to raise the bar and skills of sound engineers and producers. So she will be presenting on that programme, so I would encourage anybody who's interested in that to be at the black orchid in boom for Friday and see how they can make contacts and participate in this initiative. I also know she has a project with the university of Belize where they're trying to see how they can get students to travel from Belize to Tennessee to participate in this programme."

Andazi Panton - Producer

"Our issue is a general lack of knowledge and training that we need in the industry. As producers and as artists and really an understanding of how to operate in a professional manner to recognise that this is a viable business and us getting the tools that can help us go forward in that."

Kenroy Espinosa "Blackberry" - Belizean Artist

"As an artists I'm expecting to accomplish a lot actually. Basically the business aspect of the music because in Belize we know music, we know notes and sounds but not the business aspect of it which is important if we want to go out and do music at an international level."

From this initiative a Belize Association of Promoters and Producers has been formed. For those of promoters who want to be a part of the association you can call Anita Hamilton at 6015248. After the 4 day workshop, an action plan will be drafted outlining the specific roles of all stakeholders.