People in every sphere are looking for better ways of accessing and utilizing information: The Cultural Development Foundation is spearheading a Cultural Mapping Project under the theme “It’s Our Culture – Lets Map It 2 Tap It!” through the Ministry of Tourism, Heritage and the Creative Industries to create an information tool to facilitate growth in the Creative Industries in Saint Lucia. The initiative, funded by the UNESCO International Fund for Cultural Diversity will be conducted in seven (7) pilot communities: Anse la Raye, Monchy, Gros Islet/Castries, Soufriere, Laborie, Dennery North and Vieux Fort North/ Desruisseaux.
Cultural Mapping involves gathering information on tangible and non-tangible cultural assets – practitioners such as musicians, artists, crafters, writers; places such as museums, shops, sites, events, and traditions and practices – La Woz, La Magwit, storytelling, dance forms etc.
The information will be collected by Team Map It (TMI) who will visit the 7 communities. This will then be organised into a database which will be analysed to show trends such as numbers of persons who do specific cultural activities; areas where certain traditions are thriving or dying out. This will guide policy makers on the value of the sector allowing for sound arguments to be made for funding for development. Further, it will inform immediate plans within the UNESCO project for capacity building work.
In addition to the data providing this type of information, an online interactive map will be produced that will allow buyers to locate producers and service providers, visitors can also locate sites of interest, customers can find shops and studios. The Online Cultural Map will give contact information and also include links to external websites; shopping portals; social media of individual entries.
The Cultural Mapping Project will be officially launched on Wednesday 20th August, 2014 at the CDF Conference Room at 2:00 p.m. where the mapping team will be introduced. CDF encourages the public to listen out for subsequent radio and television ads as well as announcements informing of Team Map It coming to a community near you: It’s Our Culture – Let’s Map it 2 Tap it!
source for culture map: http://www.directionsmag.com/pressreleases/city-of-regina-wins-gis-award-for-innovative-culture-map/279514