Prime Minister Gaston Browne has announced that his government will invest heavily in the creative arts, unveiling plans for a new international-standard music studio in St John’s.

Speaking on his Browne and Browne radio programme on Saturday, the Prime Minister confirmed that the government is retrofitting the Luke’s building, which was acquired several years ago, into a state-of-the-art facility. He said the work should be completed within 12 months.

The complex will provide local musicians with professional recording opportunities while also serving as a hub for skills development. “Local artists will have the type of facilities that they can record locally, but we also have to build the skills of the artists themselves,” Mr Browne said, adding that new courses are being introduced to strengthen the sector.

The initiative forms part of the government’s wider policy to boost Antigua and Barbuda’s cultural industries and expand opportunities for creative professionals.