Artists and creatives across Montserrat looking to participate in the Caribbean Festival of Arts- CARIFESTA 15, will receive a major financial boost, through the CARIFESTA 15 Mobility Assistance Grant (MAG).
A new partnership between the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) in host country Barbados and the Caribbean Development Bank’s Cultural and Creative Industries Innovation Fund (CIIF) was announced this week.
The two organisations will provide direct support to creatives participating in the Caribbean’s premier cultural festival.
The NCF has pledged to match the CIIF’s contribution, effectively doubling the number of grants available and enabling 20 recipients to each receive two thousand, five hundred US dollars to help cover expenses such as airfare, accommodation, ground transportation, and shipping of materials.
The programme aims to remove significant financial barriers to participation in CARIFESTA XV, which will be held in Barbados from August 22 to 31.
By pooling resources, the two organisations aim to provide tangible support to Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in the creative sector, helping them to scale their operations, access new markets, and forge invaluable cross-border collaborations.
The Mobility Assistance Grants are open to officially selected CARIFESTA XV participants from the 19 CDB borrowing member countries, operating within the sub-sectors of music, visual arts, fashion and contemporary design, audio-visual (including film, gaming, and animation), and festivals and carnivals.
The selection process will prioritise applicants who can demonstrate a clear business case for their participation and a strong potential for growth.
Fund Coordinator of the CIIF Malene Joseph described the partnership with the NCF as a perfect embodiment of their mission to enable the region’s creative industries sector to become globally competitive.
The grant funds will be managed by the NCF, which will make direct payments to service providers on behalf of the grantees, ensuring a transparent and accountable disbursement process.
This initiative is a cornerstone of a broader partnership framework between the NCF and CIIF for CARIFESTA XV, which also includes capacity-building workshops and stakeholder engagement events, all aimed at strengthening the creative industries’ value chain.