Belize Wants Your Dusty Old Records: Here’s Why

Belize has officially launched the Belize Music Archive. This is a national initiative aimed at preserving and safeguarding the country’s recorded musical heritage.

According to the National Institute of Culture and History (NICH), “The launch included the inauguration of the Belize Music Archive Lab, a specialised facility housed at BARS for the digitisation, preservation, restoration and documentation of Belizean sound recordings. Belizeans with recordings and historical audio materials in private and family collections will be encouraged to bring them forward for digitisation and preservation.”

During the launch ceremony, Minister of Culture Francis Fonseca officially established the designation National Recording Treasures of Belize, a recognition for recordings of exceptional cultural, historical, artistic, or social significance to the country.

The first 100 recordings will receive this designation in 2026, representing generations of Belizean artists across different communities, languages, genres, and traditions. Starting in 2027, at least ten additional recordings will be selected annually by the Belize Music Project.