Dominican literature needs art management, not more awards, says writer

Santo Domingo.- In a recent discussion about the state of Dominican literature, writer Roxanna Marte emphasized the pressing need for a strategic shift from pursuing more awards and contests to implementing effective art management.

In an article by El Nuevo Diario, Marte highlighted the ongoing concern within the literary community about cultivating a reading market in the Dominican Republic, questioning what it would take to increase readership and create a sustainable market for Dominican literature.

Marte, who earlier this year presented her first novel, “País imposible” – a joint effort between Río de Oro Editores and Luna Insomne Editores – pointed out that the country has been stuck in a status quo, a state of inaction where growth seems unattainable. This has led to stagnation in the literary field, with a prevailing mindset of resignation to existing challenges.

We need to break free from our inertia

“In my understanding and after years of analyzing this issue, as a strategist and professional, the problem is quite simple: Dominican literature does not need more awards or contests; literature needs art management and great teamwork from the actors that make up this wonderful mechanism that is the Dominican literary community,” the writer emphasized.

According to the Sorbonne’s Institute of Advanced Studies in Arts and Culture (IESA), art management is about reconciling art with management. It involves processes and techniques to handle daily operations, manage resources efficiently, maintain budgetary control, and support the artistic vision of those involved. Marte believes that applying these principles to the Dominican literary scene is essential for its growth.

Marte argued that art management in the Dominican context “means combining hard and soft skills, such as planning, organizational capabilities, resource coordination, negotiation, and relationship-building. It also requires leadership and management skills to achieve tangible results.”

She stressed the need for innovative and disruptive approaches to create new offerings that meet the expectations and needs of potential readers. “I understand, from my experience, that our literature needs to take significant risks and stop being created quietly, in a corner, as if it were something we are ashamed of and there’s nothing more to be done; I believe it’s a great lie we’ve told ourselves.”

The writer criticized the modesty with which the literary talent and resources are currently utilized, arguing that this approach fails to generate real demand for literary products. Drawing from the theory of the experience economy by Joseph Pine and James Gilmore, she underscored the importance of creating experiences that sell, similar to how theatre, dance, and music operate.

Marte outlined the four characteristics of sellable experiences, according to Pine and Gilmore: harmonizing impressions with positive signals, eliminating negative impressions, engaging the five senses, and using memorabilia like souvenirs and tickets to create lasting impressions. She posed a challenge to the literary sector to apply these principles in practical ways to make literary events and products more appealing and consumable.

Challenges and resilience in the literary sector

Addressing the challenges faced by the literary sector, Marte highlighted issues such as the lack of budgetary support for literary events, the need for professional training for those involved in staging these experiences, and the general inconsistency and negativity towards new initiatives. She also noted the low level of commitment among sector participants to overcome these challenges and the necessity of high professional performance in all literary offerings.

Marte pointed out that the performance of the literary industry, like any other, depends on customer satisfaction, which is determined by the difference between customers’ perceptions of service and their expectations. She emphasized that the industry must learn to meet the needs of its audience to thrive.

Roxanna Marte stated that Dominican literature is in a process of evolution, requiring sustained investment and effort without immediate expectations of success. She called for unity, integration and determination in supporting Dominican literature and the arts, believing that with the right approach, the literary scene can achieve significant growth and development.