Culture Ministry to Host Creative Career Expo on February 25

Hundreds of high-school and tertiary students and creative practitioners are expected to attend the Jamaica Creative Career Expo, slated for The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston on Tuesday (February 25), beginning 10:00 a.m.

The event, organised by the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, is being held under the theme ‘Exploring the Digital Space’.

Portfolio Minister, Hon. Olivia Grange, will deliver opening remarks, while keynote speaker will be Emmy Award-winning visual effects expert, Craig Lyn.

Virtual participation will be facilitated via live streaming on major social media platforms, including @jamaicaculturaldevelopmentcommission, @pbcjjamaica, @mcgesjamaica and @hon.babsygrange.

This is the fourth staging of the Expo, which targets students interested in pursuing studies or businesses in the creative industries as well as stakeholder practitioners and entrepreneurs.

The event will feature panel discussions and presentations by local and international experts.

Among the topics are ‘AI (Artificial Intelligence) and Gaming’, ‘Social Media and Content Creation’, ‘Animation’ and ‘Movie Magic’.

The Movie Magic panellists will include author, 3D artist and illustrator, Professor Wayne Carnegie; founder of the award-winning animation studio, ‘Listen Mi’, Kenia Mattis, and Animation Supervisor for Projects with Netflix, Melissa Lyn.

Among the panellists for Social Media and Content Creation are award-winning social media influencer and mental health advocate, Julie Mango; communications and media specialist, Jevaughn Gordon; influencer, actor and model, Blaise French, and producer, podcaster and content creator, Jacinth Headlam.

The Expo will also feature a creative village with interactive booths, workshops and live demonstrations.

A media advisory from the Ministry states that this year’s Expo aims to empower and inspire high-school seniors, tertiary students and at-risk youth and provide them with critical insights and pathways into creative careers.

It is also part of the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to motivate and educate the next generation of creative professionals to thrive in a technology-driven global landscape.