Art can be used to further promote our culture, as it is a strong avenue that has the potential to captivate a large niche market. There are hundreds of individuals who travel to Europe to view fascinating artwork by famous artists (Pablo Picasso, Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo etc.). As such, if the Guild of Artists, the Jamaican government and other art-related organisations make a collaborative effort in marketing our Jamaican artists and artwork, then it could be an effective way to promote our rich heritage and culture. For example, Emancipation Park which features Laura Facey-Cooper's "Redemption Song" monument reveals Jamaica's emancipation from slavery in the 1800s; this monument can be marketed as an attraction which educates visitors of our culture and history. Art can also be used to promote our culture as a means of creating linkages rather than leakages.

Local artwork

For example, in the hotels, instead of importing foreign paintings to decorate rooms, local artwork should be exhibited throughout, in order for guests to gain full appreciation. It is costly to import foreign paintings and it would be fair to patronise local and upcoming Jamaican artists rather than international artists who cannot contribute to our culture. A Jamaican artist can accurately portray family at the river washing and bathing, or a marketplace scene,while an international artist may not be able to authentically portray many aspects of our culture.

Art can be used to promote our culture by showcasing our Jamaican artists (over the years and upcoming artists). This can be achieved by hosting an Art Festival (visual arts) in an effort to highlight the Jamaican artists' artwork and creatively. If an Art Festival is initiated there is the possibility of many tourists travelling to the island to purchase art and craft items and gain an overall appreciation of our rich culture. This would indisputably be an avenue to perpetuate art in Jamaica.

- Melissa Lawrence

Among the many benefits of fine art is the ability to traverse cultural, political and economic boundaries. As a powerful means of communication, art has the ability to be a catalyst for cross-cultural exchange, fostering an awareness of the socio-historical context in which it is created. Art can and certainly has been a tool in the tourism industry for promoting the culture of a society.

Many tourists take the opportunity provided through organised tours to visit galleries and museums which showcase the culture of Jamaica through art. The National gallery in Kingston and Harmony Hall, just a few miles outside of Ocho Rios, offer tourists an inside view into the culture of Jamaica through art. The Jamaica Tourist Board's foreign advertisements also utilise Jamaican art and craft to promote the culture and encourage would-be tourists to visit the island.

Promotion vehicle

The Jamaican culture is already being promoted using the vehicle of art through the participation of the society's artists and makers of craft in international art festivals and exhibitions. The publishing of books and magazines which showcase Jamaican culture through art is also a vehicle for promoting Jamaica. The magazine "Jamaica Journal" and the book "Jamaica Art" written by Veerle Poupeye are examples.

Additional ways in which art can be used to promote the culture could include the employing of art managers at hotels. Employing art managers would allow for a focused effort at using the powerful medium of art in planning programmes or curating art exhibitions to promote and market the culture.

Another way in which art can be used to promote the culture is in the organising of talks geared towards exposing tourists to the exciting Jamaican culture and the history which has so defined it. These talks could be held at the hotels or galleries in close proximity to the hotels with Jamaican artists or art historians as presenters.

Promotional strategy

Adding an art-craft-making component to their entertainment package is another promotional strategy which hotels could employ for guests. Artists and craftsmen could be employed to teach tourists to make simple art and craft items which are indicative of the Jamaican culture and which they would take back to their home countries.

In order to establish and encourage the link between art and tourism and hence strengthen promotional efforts, an art appreciation course or courses relevant to arts management could be included in the course offerings in tourism management and hospitality currently being offered at our tertiary institutions.

Hotels may also have craft fairs which offer a wide variety of art and craft items on their properties during the peak seasons.