The Women’s Investment Webinar is an annual event seeking to empower women in Guyana and the diaspora in areas of wealth creation, leadership, and finding purpose. The third edition saw the launch of two virtual workshop sessions on 22 October 2022 to provide practical guidance to persons in business start-up mode. The workshops underscored the pioneering work of First Assembly of God Wortmanville (FAOGW) church in presenting platforms for business incubation.
Ruth Osman is a Guyanese poet and jazz singer who headlined one of the Creative Arts workshops. Based in Trinidad and Tobago, she has been fusing her love of jazz music and poetry to a Caribbean audience and is now expanding her borders with a recent shortlisting for the Bocas Lit Emerging Writers Fellowship 2022.
The workshop was expertly moderated by Assistant Pastor Celicia Paruag, a Communications and Transformational Leadership specialist. Over forty attendees from Guyana, USA, Switzerland, and the wider diaspora were treated to an authentic conversation about operating in the creative arts industry as well as the early influence of family and the church community in her life.
Creative Arts is Critical to Culture
The practicality of the session was itself art, as Ruth confessed that her poetic gifting was nurtured through her love of singing, and the platform provided by the church, reminiscing on her early beginnings at FAOGW. She now understands it was a staging ground that prepared her to deliver publicly while feeding her creative side through poems written for Sunday School, Missionettes, and then Youth Ministry.
As she continued to map her growth and the skills needed at different junctures, Ruth signaled her pivot in the arts after completing studies in culture enterprise management in Trinidad. This experience exposed her to the wider scope of the creative arts and triggered the evolution of her creative journey. She could now tag how the arts play a critical role in our Caribbean identity; something that is different when you live in the diaspora, and profoundly how the arts can mobilise a community.
Ruth underscored the variety of supporting roles that make up the creative sector and challenged the audience to think of the many roles involved in production such as lighting, sound, stage management, video editors, and more. The moderator also lauded the opportunity of a multiplicity of roles in the creative arts that can be used to channel the talents and giftings of persons beyond song, dance, and instrumentation. The CARIFESTA platform when hosted by Guyana was one such eye-opener and remains a beacon for young artists in Guyana and other nations to celebrate. This variety of roles underscored the theme of this three-day event, Entrusted with Treasures, inspired by 2 Timothy 1:14.
Discovering the Treasures in You
Engaging the audience, Ruth continued to reflect on how creatives are influenced by the environment and its needs at a particular time. This was her experience of solitude during the pandemic when she could not connect with her band which led her to the decision of shifting gears and publishing work as an artist.
Asked how one develops self-mastery without plagiarising, Ruth quips that “immersion makes a huge impact.” She reflected on how being raised in a home with a jazz lover and organist, planted deep seeds of love for the arts. This love further influenced her combination of writing and performing jazz music intertwined with poetry; recalling always being buried in a book due to her early love of reading.
Training and honing your skills will keep you relevant, was her suggestion as she shared on a recent course about Innovations in Jazz. She cautioned that one really cannot call oneself an artist or poet if you are not listening to others. As such, there is a balance of the solitary endeavour in creating, like the dancer who practises daily to hone their skills, yet there is a need to appreciate what is happening in the creative space to feed your creativity.
Serving Through the Creative Arts
The audience wanted the clock to stand still as they followed the creative journey that is Ruth Osman. She expressed the humbling experience that remains after performances, given her understanding of church ministry which seeks to serve the broader community rather than exalting oneself. This thread has remained an intricate part of her artistry as she sees art providing comfort (catharsis), akin to the balm created when we worship in church. She believes the primary purpose of the creative arts is to bring people together into one space and forge a common sense of identity. “This common identity then helps a group to move forward,” she says thoughtfully.
Ruth’s poetic journey has also led to an Honourable Mention in the 52nd New Millennium Writing Awards for her poem “Lost and Found” while currently completing her debut poetry collection “All Made of Longing” for publication by Bamboo Talk Press. This portion of her craft has only taken flight in the last two years and is already bearing fruit. Though she remains humbled by this recognition, she bites by signaling the elitist community of poetry which requires you to publish in order to be recognised for your body of work. The wealth creation angle was also evident, given the opportunity to generate royalties from the publication of poetry and songs. One only needs to look at the rise of American Poet laureate Amanda Gorman.
The Intersection between Arts, Business and Copyright
As the ZOOM chat room came alive with questions on how to get started, Ruth quickly pivoted to providing some business tips on branding captured in the pictogram below:
She then distinguished the role of a publicist or manager from that of a mentor, the latter being focused on your creative ability. This prepared the ground for her final thoughts on leaving a legacy in the industry. She underscored the need to document your journey to measure growth, for documentaries, and eventually to etch your creativity into history with these treasures we hold potent.
The discourse naturally flowed to protecting your brand which provided a platform for Attorney at Law, Jubilante Cutting to signal the infancy of copyright and intellectual property laws in Guyana and the Caribbean. While there is an absence of a ‘Registration of Rights’ system in Guyana, there are initial contractual measures referred to as a ‘Chain of Rights’ when working with multiple artists on a production. This allows investors to glean who holds ownership rights. There is also the possibility to register brands and products under Trademark including leveraging the international trademark process with overseas attorneys. Ruth, in expressing her appreciation for these legal solutions being scoped, also underlined how documenting for copyright purposes also aids in developing your press kit, a critical part of building your brand.
As the workshop was winding down, Ruth, when probed, shared a deeper perspective on the creative arts about artists and their legacy juxtaposed with the importance of documenting or archiving their work. She said, “Legacy only grows and usually after an artist’s death, if what they have produced addresses the needs of the community. We therefore need to be intentional and aware of the motivation you bring to your craft.”
Ruth Osman, your creativity, passion, service, and humility shined through as part of the artist you are, and we know the treasures entrusted to you will glow as you continue to inspire women and Guyanese in the creative arts industry.
This innovative workshop elevated the vision of the Women’s Investment Webinar with feedback, signaling this was indeed a treasure trove!
