To bolster Bhutan’s creative sector, the Department of Media, Creative Industry and Intellectual Property (DoMCIIP) under the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Employment unveiled the nation’s inaugural online Artist Registration System today, coinciding with World Intellectual Property Day.
Branded Creative Bhutan, the digital platform will serve as a centralized registry for filmmakers, musicians, and visual artists across the country. Minister Namgyal Dorji formally launched the system at a ceremony attended by key ministry officials and a gathering of local artists and producers. Once live next month, the revamped portal promises to replace the laborious manual approval of its predecessor, streamlining sign-ups and speeding up access for creators.
Tempa Tshering, chief intellectual property officer at DoMCIIP, emphasised that Creative Bhutan is designed not for rights enforcement but for promotion and networking. “Our goal is to give Bhutanese talent a single gateway to showcase their portfolios, collaborate internationally, and ultimately boost their income streams,” he explained. The new system’s automated vetting process will ensure faster confirmations and better data integrity for all registered practitioners.
The launch ceremony also doubled as the debut of Bhutan’s National Music Awards, with winners determined by hard metrics drawn from Spotify and YouTube analytics. Sonam Wangchen took the title of Trending Artist (Male), while Kelden Lhamo was honoured as Trending Artist (Female). The collaboration “Nyingthuenma” by Sonam Wangchen and Rapper Chogo, produced by Yeshi Lhendup Films, walked away with both Most Popular Song and Most Popular Music Video accolades.
Choeying Jatsho, founder of M-Studio and awards coordinator, noted that Spotify’s monthly listener counts and total stream figures provided reliable indicators of audience engagement. He acknowledged challenges with SoundCloud data—such as piracy and duplicate uploads—that could inflate unofficial versions of tracks. “By encouraging artists to register their official channels through Creative Bhutan, we aim to curb infringement, maintain accurate release records, and ensure that streams reflect genuine support,” Jatsho said. He urged music fans to favour verified outlets when streaming, reinforcing both copyright protection and the growth of Bhutan’s creative industries.
