The Film, Animation, Music and Entertainment (F.A.M.E.) Incubator programme – an initiative delivered by Kingston Creative in collaboration with the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) – has been brought to life through the premiere of the F.A.M.E. Incubator Mini-Documentary. This short feature, accompanied by a series of entrepreneur spotlights, shares the compelling journeys of women creatives who are boldly driving the growth of Jamaica’s creative economy. Debuted at Kingston Creative’s final meetup for the year, Creative Futures, the documentary captures the resilience, ingenuity, and determination of the inaugural F.A.M.E. cohort, including those navigating recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.
The documentary, produced and directed by filmmaker Joelle Simone Powe, captures the journeys of these trailblazers, their artistry, and their unwavering commitment to building a future where creativity drives economic growth. The film was produced and directed by Joelle Simone Powe, with cinematography and editing by Jayson Moo Young, interviews conducted by Emprezz Golding, and production assistance from Aron Tailbert. Viewers can now watch the full documentary on Kingston Creative’s YouTube channel. “This was such a moving impact documentary for me to produce,” said Joelle Simone Powe. “I discovered the success stories of these energetic female entrepreneurs, learned about what they have already accomplished and witnessed their ambitions to take their businesses beyond Jamaica.”
The FAME Incubator’s cohort of 12 women entrepreneurs includes Alicia Walker, Creative Director of Films that Move, Erica Louise “Rica G” Richards and Jody “Drummy Jo” Brown, Co-founders of Well Ample Productions, Lois “DJ Lava” Morgan and Tandra “DJ Lytes” Jhagroo, Co-founders of Head BopHerz Ent, Alisha Thorpe, Founder of My Model University, Crystal Evans, Founder of Crystal Evans S Book House, Kacy Garvey, Co-founder of JAIKU Limited, Dennise Williams, Founder of Financially Focused, Arianna Lawrence, Founder of Ari Connects, Adriene “Rayven Amani” Higgins, Founder of Jorja Events Media, and Jada Powell, Founder of Panache Consulting.
“The future of Jamaica’s creative economy is being built by women,” said Andrea Dempster Chung, Co-founder and Executive Director of Kingston Creative. “When we invest in female entrepreneurs, we are investing in equity, inclusivity, and national development. The F.A.M.E. Incubator and the training, mentorship and showcasing delivered to this cohort by Kingston Creative and our partners at the DBJ, reflects our shared belief that women are not only preserving our culture – they are transforming it into a powerful and sustainable engine for economic growth.”
The FAME Incubator has demonstrated that a targeted, gender-responsive approach to enterprise development can rapidly strengthen the resilience, visibility and commercial readiness of women-led MSMEs in Jamaica’s creative and cultural industries. By delivering a twelve-module curriculum, individualized coaching and a high-visibility public showcase, the programme produced measurable outcomes for female entrepreneurs across film, music, fashion, performance and digital media — outcomes that extend beyond short-term training into genuine shifts in business practice, market access and confidence.
From a gender perspective, the incubator programme’s impact was particularly significant because it addressed barriers that disproportionately affect women entrepreneurs across the globe: limited access to business-specific production equipment, gaps in finance, and fewer opportunities for networking or investor introductions. The cohort’s progress — evidenced in the coaching logs, improved pitch materials and the national print and TV media coverage generated by Demo Day — shows that when these constraints are addressed through hands-on support and targeted exposure, women creatives convert learning into tangible business outcomes.
The inaugural Kingston Creative FAME Incubator programme has proven that targeted, well-designed support can unlock the commercial potential of women entrepreneurs in creative sectors — generating assets, networks and market access. With the right support, the cohort is well placed to convert initial gains into scalable businesses that contribute to Jamaica’s creative economy and export pipeline.
