$26 Million to Assist Creative Persons

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, has announced the establishment of the Jamaica Creative 100 programme, with funding of $26 million.

She informed that this is to help with the further development of creative people across Jamaica, who have imprinted their unique brand in the global marketplace or have the potential to do so.

“Through this programme, we will fund short- to medium-term projects to help small business entrepreneurs to create new products for the global marketplace or to enter new markets,” Ms. Grange said.

The Minister was making her contribution to the 2018/19 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on July 4.

“These small-business entrepreneurs just need a little help to cut a bigger slice of the global creative pie. Selections will be through an open call, based on growth potential, entrepreneurship and quality,” Ms. Grange pointed out.

The Jamaica Creative 100 programme will be administered by the National Cultural and Creative Industries Council, which is now being operationalised in the Ministry.

The Council will operate as an overarching, inter-sectoral, one-stop shop for targeted intervention in the sector.

Among the deliverables of the Council are the establishment of a digital distribution and promotion platform for Jamaican music, video and fashion; the establishment of a Kingston Creative Media Village for increased visibility and accessibility of creative practitioners; the establishment of the Creative Skills Council; and the establishment of a Culture and Creative Industries Fund for Jamaica.