CAVUSA

CAVUSA is the newly formed cultural arm of the SVG Diaspora Committee.

MISSION
CAVUSA exists to unite and support its members in the co-ordination and promotion of their common aims and interests, while conserving and respecting their rights and autonomy, and by collective action to contribute through culture to the development of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the Vincentian Diaspora.

PURPOSE
The purpose of CAVUSA is to accord its members an opportunity to come together and work creatively in the field of Vincentian and global culture; to create a universal awareness of the richness of Vincentian culture; and to support cooperation and understanding between the American and Vincentian nations in the fields of arts, and the wider field of culture. The Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit.

GOALS

Promote in the USA the Vincentian cultural arts such as (1) performing arts, including music, drama, dance, films, festivals, drumming; (2) visual arts, including mas, sculpture, paintings, photography, architecture; fashion (3) literary arts, including novels, poetry, essays, plays; (4) heritage and historic preservation/restoration, including museums, libraries, language, values, beliefs, customs, traditions, historical sites; (6) culinary arts; and (5) arts education.
Create opportunities for Vincentian cultural artists, cultural arts producers, cultural arts managers, cultural arts teachers/academics, cultural arts promoters, authors and writers, and cultural arts journalists to ensure that they all get the necessary exposure and to perform and display their work;
Create opportunities for Vincentian artists in the USA to gain economic benefits from their work;
Be the leading voice of cultural artists, cultural producers and promoters, cultural managers, cultural workers, and cultural organizations in the Vincentian Diaspora uniting our diverse cultural community into one cohesive whole. Representing and promoting the interest of members in relations with the Homeland and other entities; to this end CAVUSA shall endeavor to establish and maintain close co-operation with: Relevant Corporate partners and individuals, Cultural organizations of SVG, The Government of SVG and its specialized agencies for culture, and International cultural organizations.
Promote unity and solidarity among the various Vincentian artists, cultural organizations, and the Vincentian Diaspora community and institutions in the USA;
Monitor the implementation of SVG’s Cultural Arts Policy in order to make the policy more effective and serve the interests of Diaspora artists;
Identify, monitor and make use of cultural policies at the district, city, state, and federal levels of the USA government;
Provide opportunities for the development of diaspora youth, mentoring and grooming them for eventual leadership of CAVUSA and the wider community.

BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP

Promotion, Visibility, Publicity and Exposure, via its outreach activities, low cost advertising via the Association’s FB page, website, newsletter, directory, etc.
Wealth creation/Financial rewards. Members will be empowered by the wealth creating activities of CAVUSA
Networking. Members will become a part of CAVUSA network. In this way members will have access to important contacts, and they will get the opportunity to build relationships with other cultural arts organizations and individuals in the cultural arts industry.
Education and Training. Members will receive training on matters related to their cultural arts industry such as copyrights, royalties, management, etc.
Advocacy. Each member will benefit from CAVUSA collective power. CAVUSA will use its united voice to be heard in major processes and events on behalf of its members. CAVUSA will represent and promote its members through relevant institutions. Members will benefit when CAVUSA communicates the collective interests of Vincentian artists to relevant cultural-related institutions in the USA, SVG, the Caribbean and rest of the world.
Improving the credibility of member businesses. Through its prestige, and through promoting the good aspects of each of its members, membership in CAVUSA will be able to enhance their image in the eyes of customers and other relevant persons and institutions in the market.
Rights of the members. Members will participate in the decision-making process of CAVUSA; voting in the General Assembly and electing members of the Executive Committee or other representative bodies of CAVUSA; benefit from the services of the organization on favorable terms; and equal treatment among members.

HOW TO BECOME A MEMBER

Full Membership of CAVUSA shall be available to all Vincentian persons, organizations, and institutions interested in its objectives and purposes.
Application for membership shall be made in writing to the General Secretary.
Categories of Membership:

Individual – Open to individual Vincentian cultural artist, cultural worker, promoter, manager, producer, and who wishes to contribute to the development of culture the Vincentian diaspora and SVG.
Individual in groups – Open to Vincentian individuals who are members of other organizations
Group – Open to Vincentian cultural organizations within the Vincentian diaspora in the USA.
Allied – Open to non-Vincentian groups and individuals
Ex-officio members should include cultural ambassadors residing in the USA