VOU Dance Fiji’s director, Sachiko Soro, has expressed frustration regarding the lack of governmental support available to the creative and cultural sector, attributing this gap to insufficient data. Soro spoke during a public consultation for the Fiji Cultural Statistics Framework in Nadi, highlighting a 30-year struggle to gather reliable cultural data that could demonstrate the sector’s impact on the economy and society.
The absence of data poses significant challenges in securing funding and grants from the government for Fijian artists and cultural initiatives, making it difficult for the sector to thrive. “The Government can give more support to Fijian artists, but at the moment we’re not able to access anything because there is no data,” Soro explained.
The Fiji Cultural Statistics Framework aims to address this issue by establishing guidelines for cultural data collection and analysis. According to the Department of Culture, Heritage, and Arts, this framework seeks to measure the social and economic contributions of culture to national development, allowing for strategic policymaking that reflects the nation’s rich cultural tapestry.
Echoing Soro’s concerns, previous discussions have indicated that gathering this data is critical for crafting evidence-based policies in the arts and culture sector. Recent initiatives, including the broader integration of culture into the National Development Plan, emphasize the importance of cultural identity in fostering unity and economic progress.
As Fiji moves forward with this framework, there is an optimistic expectation that enhanced data collection will not only support artists but will also enrich the cultural landscape, allowing for greater recognition and appreciation of Fijian arts and heritage in future development plans. The government’s commitment to cultural inclusivity is a beacon of hope for fostering a more robust and sustainable cultural environment.
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