You’ve heard the buzzwords:
Creative Industries. Orange Economy. Cultural sector development.
But here's the truth: without data, it all stays theory. And honestly, theory doesn’t fund anything. It doesn’t fix broken systems.
That’s why mapping is not just a report.
It’s a tool. A flashlight. A key.
And for Aruba, it might be the most potent tool our creative sector has ever had.
What Is a Mapping, Really?
Let’s cut through the jargon.
Mapping is simply a way of seeing reality—in numbers, in systems, in voices.
In this case, we’re asking:
- Who makes up Aruba’s cultural and creative workforce?
- Where are they working—or struggling to?
- What infrastructure exists?
- Where’s the money going (or not going)?
- What’s missing? What’s working? What’s worth scaling?
It’s like X-ray vision for a sector that’s always been vibrant but too often invisible.
What Can Mapping Actually Do?
Here’s where things get real. Mapping isn’t a research trophy for the shelf—it’s an engine for immediate action.
Done right, it can:
✅ Justify new funding streams
✅ Expose systemic gaps (like lack of creative workspaces, legal protection, or arts education)
✅ Support visa and mobility policies for creatives
✅ Help cultural workers formalize, register, and protect their work
✅ Design new infrastructure (creative hubs, grant systems, national archives)
✅ Guide ministries in linking CCIs to tourism, education, labor, and social development
✅ Create jobs, not just applause
What Happens If We Don’t Map?
Simple: We stay in the shadows.
No sector visibility = no policy, no budget, no future.
Meanwhile, other industries will continue to dominate the national agenda—because they have data, and we don’t.
Mapping flips that script.
Why This Mapping Is Different
In Aruba, for the first time, this isn’t being done from the top down.
It’s grassroots, bottom-up, and community-centered—spearheaded by Go Cultura Foundation, in partnership with various experts and institutions.
And the goal isn’t another static report.
It's an ecosystem that works.
We’re not writing another document to sit on a shelf.
We’re building tools, prototypes, and systems that creatives can actually use.
From Data to Action — What’s Next?
Here’s what mapping unlocks when the sector takes charge:
- A national CCIs database to register and connect everyone in the ecosystem
- Policy frameworks that speak our language, not just governmentese
- Custom-built creative programs that reflect the actual needs and income realities of artists, musicians, designers, writers, and educators
- A new “Creative Infrastructure Blueprint” for Aruba—one we own together
And yes, all of this will be part of CreActivo 2025.
This Is About Voice. Representation. Power.
Because you can’t lead a movement with just vibes.
You need numbers. You need patterns. You need the truth.
And then—you use that truth to design a future that works.
Join Us at CreActivo 2025
We’re not waiting for a final report to act.
We’re already building what the mapping makes possible.
📅 October 9–10, 2025
📍 Renaissance Convention Center, Oranjestad
🕗 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (both days)
🥐 Light breakfast and lunch included
Expect us. And expect to be seen.
#CreActivo2025 #MappingIsPower #OwningTheBlueprint