BIP SXM Attends the Culture Creative Industry Forum 2025
The Director of the Bureau for Intellectual Property Sint Maarten (BIP SXM) recently attended the Culture Creative Industry Forum 2025, hosted by the Department of Culture Sint Maarten. The theme of the forum was “Artist Development on Sint Maarten: Level Up.”
The Orange Economy has four core pillars: The Arts, Heritage, Creative Services, and Media. Ms. Clara Reyes, Head of the Department of Culture, emphasized that art is more than just song and dance. The economic art pillars can be further divided into the following cultural sectors: Architecture, Audiovisual Industry, Communications and Advertising, Cultural Heritage, Design, Fashion, Gaming, Music, New Media, Visual and Performing Arts, and Publishing.
In 2018, a forum was organized by the Department of Culture and the Sint Maarten Artist Guild (Registry), from which the Sage Awards were born. Since then, the Sage Awards have recognized 48 individuals and organizations within the Sint Maarten creative industry.
The 2025 forum marks the 7th annual event hosted by the Department of Culture. At the event, Ms. Reyes introduced the speakers and encouraged attendees to unite and collaborate more, noting that there are too many isolated “islands” of artists on Sint Maarten and insufficient collaboration.
The Minister of Education, Youth, and Sport remarked that, as a gaming enthusiast, the forum’s theme “Level Up” immediately captured her attention. Other speakers included co-founders Naomi Korstanje and Xhenji Wyatt Cedeno of Let’s Talk Art, and Alston Lourens and Suzette Moses of the Creatives Guild.
Attendees were encouraged to sign up for the Artist Guild, which was renamed the Creatives Guild to encompass the wide variety of participants in the Orange Economy. The speakers from Let’s Talk Art also stressed the importance of information sharing and collaboration to further enhance the creative sector.
The keynote speaker was award-winning music executive Ivan Berry, who presented on “The Business of Music.” The audience was captivated by Mr. Berry’s presentation and eagerly engaged in a Q&A session that largely centered around the question: “How do I level up my music and monetize my art?” A few key takeaways from Mr. Berry’s advice included: “Be authentic,” “Don’t release songs that don’t fit your brand,” “Understand your brand,” and “Be collaborative.”
Local artist and radio personality Ms. Elektra delivered an inspiring impromptu speech, sharing that she has made a living from her art and encouraging others to become their own brand. In her words: “There is no show without the business; that’s why it’s called show business.” She urged fellow artists to learn the business side of the industry and understand their worth.
Local artist, singer, and songwriter Elona gave an impromptu performance of one of her original songs. Mr. Berry remarked that he could tell Elona was an artist the moment she walked into the room.
Local artist Sigma Defense spoke about the challenges faced by musicians on the island and asked Mr. Berry for advice. One moment that stood out for the Director of BIP SXM was when Sigma Defense acknowledged the existence of BIP SXM but clarified that it is not BIP’s role to advise artists—an observation the Director confirmed.
In short, BIP SXM’s role is to register trademarks and provide information about all intellectual property (IP) rights to everyone. BIP SXM remains neutral and, as such, cannot take sides in IP disputes. It also lacks the authority to handle infringement cases or settle conflicts. If you believe your IP rights have been violated, legal action must be taken through the civil court system.
As the saying goes, “Knowing is half the battle.” BIP SXM encourages creatives to attend more workshops about art and intellectual property so they can be better equipped to protect their rights, avoid infringing on others’ IP, and ultimately monetize their creativity.
