The United Nations, Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, (UNESCO), the CARICOM Secretariat and The University of the West Indies have joined forces to implement the project titled Creative Caribbean – An Ecosystem of “Play” for Growth and Development” in the amount of 3 million Euros.
The three-year project that will be implemented in 15 Caribbean countries aims to develop a robust creative economy in the region by strengthening the enabling environment and providing grant support for industry and training initiatives.
Artists and Cultural Entrepreneurs from the following countries are eligible to apply for grant support under this landmark project: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago.
The project is expected to strengthen research and data collection on Creative and Cultural Industries (CCIs), to facilitate market access opportunities, to support the development of national artists registries, Cultural policies and Creative Industry Development Acts to incentivise the sector. It will also provide grants to creative and cultural practitioners to grow more globally competitive businesses and enhance their professional development.
Director and Representative of the UNESCO Cluster Office for the Caribbean, Saadia Sanchez-Vegas, explained “It is an unquestionable fact that the impact of Covid-19 on the cultural and creative sectors was tremendously significant, yet CCIs play a notable role in the economy and recovery from the pandemic. The Creative Caribbean project seeks to shift the paradigm from “the struggling artist” to creating an enabling environment where creatives are incentivised to produce and thrive and become a key driver of sustainable development in the region.”
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