Those in the Bhutanese creative industries sector can now look forward to better support for their innovative endeavours. The economic affairs ministry launched the Creative Industries Export Strategy of Bhutan, yesterday. The Strategy aims to protect the Bhutanese identity while promoting innovations in the sector for export.
The Strategy includes a detailed five-year plan with a set of activities to provide a strong foundation for the growth of film, music, graphic design and related software development sector. It first aims to build domestic capacities and then succeed in the international markets.
As per the report, currently, there is a gap between tradition and modernity when it comes to creativity in the country.
“The creative industry’s report goes beyond just the traditional industry that we know of in Bhutan. In this report what the ministry has done is we looked into going beyond these traditional industries; we looked into designs, fashion, our music industry and all that we need to promote. The next step for the ministry is to start implementing the recommendations of the report and to take forward and to see how we can really promote the domestic cultural and creative industries that we have,” said Sonam Tashi, the Chief Planning Officer for the Policy & Planning Division with the Ministry of Economic Affairs
The Strategy also focuses on establishing a favourable policy and regulatory framework to allow more space for creativity. At the same time, it will protect creativity by enforcing the existing intellectual property regulations.
The CEO of Athang Pvt. Ltd, Karma Dhendup, welcomed the initiative and said this will help everyone in the creative industry. “A lot of Bhutanese people are now engaged in such industries like movies, animations, music, and new professions coming like YouTubers. Since the government will give some important and some developmental supports in this sector, we are very happy and we have also been actively taking part in this Export StrategyDevelopments.”
“With the launch of this strategy, RAPA sees an immense opportunity, not just in promoting and preserving our intangible culture and art but also see as a platform to monetise our intangible culture and arts in the International forefront,” said Tshering Zangmo T, the Principal of RAPA.
Besides the development of the country’s creative industries sector, the report looks to make people aware of its considerable potential.
Yeshi Dorji
