Category: Blog_Post

Correspondence from the Continent: Jah9 on finding fulfillment amid the fiasco

Music is never disembodied from Jamaican culture and lifestyle. Since the onset of what we know as Jamaican life, it has been used for things like education, passing coded messages, commentary, and sometimes informal reporting. After the country’s independence in 1962, when political structures were being erected, Jamaican music began to breathe it’s first breath. While political structures were naturally aligned to policies, philosophies, sometimes even religion, music as an art form, likely due to its extremely democratic nature, has always been about people politics. The great advantage of  music, not that it can be properly compared to politics, is its fluidity. It became a way for the now independent citizens of Jamaica to say what they wanted, how they wanted it said(usually in their own language and without censorship), through the many elected minstrels that rose to calling. As with all industries, there are business facets that support the art form, allowing it to thrive. However, no matter how lucrative the industry becomes, most of the power in music still rests with the people. As much as people rely on music and art, musicians or creators rely on people a lot more. Jamaican music has such a high output pace in general, that whether or not people “cancel” an artist, they usually move on to the next new one within a few months. Move on, is by no means definitive. It doesn’t mean the older artist is discarded for good, but what it does indicate is that the pacing of the music creates a spotlight or two, that has a time limit. Within this time limit, the attention directed at the artist is high, and they have until that limit is reached, to break out into their own. This usually entails diversifying, gaining more exposure, and creating a lasting profile that will give the artist a guaranteed spot in the library, a listen on every release, or a purchase on every piece of merch or event ticket. The Jamaican audiences can be fickle but given the right motivation at the right time, they are also loyal to a fault. It is perhaps this essentially democratic nature of the artform which gives it this fluidity, because even with the risk of failure, comes the possibility of a reward that is even greater. Jah9, is an agent of Jamaican music, its democracy and its people politics. Awarded, and achieved wherever she chooses to set down roots, one cannot help but notice that she has always been involved in the science and politics of people, in one way or another. From her days at UWI, her long awaited return there this past february with a lecture series, her clandestine exploits at some of the country’s biggest corporate companies, and even her certification as a yogi, it’s evident 9 relishes being of service in areas that heavily involve the human element. Something that’s hard wired into her music as well. Early may 2019, we were two albums deep into her discography, when the official music video for her first single Heaven from her latest album hit youtube. With the promise of the new album and singles like Maat(Each Man),  and Highly(Get To Me) in between, Note To Self shook the music world when it finally dropped on March 13th. This marked her second time releasing an album in Kenya, which had become much like another home to her now. Set for a live celebration of her album the following day in Ethiopia, 9 was due to make her way to the UK for another later that month, when word reached her of the Covid-19 outbreak there. She decided to bunker down in Ethiopia, rather than risk being trapped in transit or being refused entry into other countries while trying to return home. Now situated in Tanzania for what will make 9 plus weeks on the continent, Jah9 is in good spirits when we get on the phone for this interview. Here, we have a candid conversation about her new album, life in Africa, creativity and the state of things.

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This is your third studio album, some people would describe your music as personal, but what makes this album different in that regard? Is it a specific type of personal for you or is it just delving deeper into the person? “The latter.” What’s your favorite part of the creative process? “I don’t really have a favorite part. It depends. I have a least favorite part.”  Which is? “My least favorite part is probably feedback from non creatives who I have to deal with in the industry. But my favorite part is probably, at different times, so like-” It changes? “It does, and it depends. So there are times when I really enjoy creating and writing in a space of solitude. I don’t really have a clique or a group of people that I’m vibing with; it’s usually a very private process. I like that part of it, but I also like when I’m creating with other people, which I seldom have that opportunity.So I do like creating because it is a meditative thing for me. I really go inside to find what it is I want to say. Hearing the words in my head, putting it on paper and hearing sounds, practicing and then revamping it. I really enjoy that part. I like being able to bring that forward now to other creatives when I’m creating the music.  There are different ways that I create. There are times when I’m creating from a spiritual, visual meditative space, and times when I’m creating with my brain. So it’s different types of songs too that come out different kinds of ways. For those who are really paying attention you can always tell which ones are more cerebral and which ones are more meditative.” The album speaks to a lot of feelings and themes like isolation, self study, things that are at a peak right now for people all around the world, and there are many who feel this album arrived at the perfect time. Do you feel it was divine timing, or is the music just timeless enough where it fits even with a disaster? “I think both of those things. It is always a matter of divine timing because I am inspired in a way where sometimes things will feel very urgent to me. Then because of my personality I don’t really follow industry protocols, and this is probably why the people at like my label who deal with the commercial aspect of music, they will struggle with me here. Because I am really going off what I’m inspired to do, or what is the recurring thing in my mind or in my dream, or this is the urgent thing. I may not even feel compelled to explain why but they just have to deal with the songs I have. I’m not gonna do a new song because we ask her to. So it really is this is just happening, because I create my music from a timeless place. You won’t hear trending things in my songs that people won’t understand what that means. I’m not writing from that space, I’m writing from a space where I want it to be clear. So clear that even if it seems like it’s too deep, but all it really requires is people just slowing things down to listen and usually people don’t have the time to do that. But this quote on quote disaster has given people the time to pace their listening. So more people feel like they understand what I’m saying now. I did kinda make an effort with this album to be more relatable, in terms of the themes. But it also depends on where you are, if you can sit and listen remember listening is an active process.” You’ve been to the continent before? How many times and which places did you visit? “I’ve been to the continent four times. First time was to South Africa.Roughly a decade ago.” What year? “I don’t even remember, roughly a decade ago.I went as a poet I didn’t even go as a singer. It was an invitation to a spoken word event. So there was that time and then my second time was in Kenya, I went there again on my third trip and then I came back this year for the release of the album, to Ethiopia and now in Tanzania.”  Repatriation is a very big part of the Rastafari message, but you seem to take an anti-fantasy approach to it. How do you think mindset affects the ability to manifest something like that? In what ways do you feel romanticizing the return, can prove more harmful than helpful? “We have to understand what manifestation means, it is an active thing. So there is a process you can follow to manifest things on the earth. It has to do with how your mind works, what you can visualize, what you are able to plan. Repatriation is a mental process too, and that is where it started for me, so I live in a world where I am african. So first thing I am african, that’s what Rastafari means to me.; that I am African. This is why if I were to look for a leader it would be the African king, his imperial Majesty Haile Selassie. His hopes and dreams for this space now, is where I have lived for the past- even before I came into rastafari because of my parents. They made Africa very attractive to me and so even in learning about Africa later on, there has always been a want to know , to come and see for myself. As I got older and started hearing about the importance of things like home ownership and investments, I was just looking and thinking; these are things I really  will require anywhere in the world I am.  So if I am thinking about Africa, I have to think about the places in Africa where I can do these things. So in my mind romanticizing means that you are maybe thinking about your life in a practical way but when you think about Africa, you think about it in an impractical way. Like how are your bills going to be paid, where you will live, all of that. You’re not looking at Africa in that way, and that’s where it can become harmful as well. Because you are not doing the practical thing, it’s like you have a lover and the only thing you think about is how beautiful they are, but you’re not thinking about how good they will be? How will they live? Do they leave the toilet seat up? The practical applications. Most people, even intelligent people romanticize the idea as if one day something is going to magically happen that will allow them to go. They will be like “I don’t have enough money but one day I want to go to Africa, but it’s when they do come that it really hits home. They get a culture shock because they don’t have any idea what it means to be here. What we need to see is people saving up a little money and take a trip. See some different places, don’t think that one day you’re gonna just save up enough money to leave and never come back. That’s a ridiculous idea.”  Describe your journey to Africa and your stay there so far. “So I left Jamaica, transited through New York and ended up in Kenya. In Kenya, I did a series of press events, we did a series of creative events as well. The first one was like a Garden party where some young creatives from Kenya were invited to just come and have an evening together. We set up a space where we did some yoga. I got to see and meet some really talented people, along with some industry players. It was a very nice intimate setting. I had such a great experience that I invited some of the young artists at the party to come and be apart of my live show that I had later on in Kenya. I worked with a Kenyan band which was challenging, but interesting. I got to an opportunity to do some really interesting interviews during that time as well, which was all facilitated by Anbessa productions, which is Black Lion international, or brother Malafi. He was able to facilitate a very productive trodd to Kenya. After that party and the live show and a very successful trip, I went forward to Lamu Yoga Festival. Which was with Away To Africa, the trip that initiated my whole vision of- let me do this again. Last Year I launched my album in Kenya and it was a great vibe as well so I thought, I could prepare for around that time. But the album got pushed back which actually facilitated me being able to launch it in Africa. So while I was there for press and doing other creative endeavors, I was also apart of the Away To Africa retreat. Which was the first in many to come, not necessarily always with Away to Africa, but it’s something I’ve wanted to do, retreats around the world. So being able to do that and connecting with brother Malafi who facilitates the Away To Africa Tours in Kenya, made it clear how easy it is to make a way for other people. Especially people from the diaspora. So After I left Kenya, I went to Lamu, which is really just off the coast of Kenya. That was an amazing experience, at the Lamu Yoga festival, which gave me an opportunity again to connect with the international yoga community. I was able to make a connection with those responsible for the festival to solidify future efforts to make a way for others to be able to be there. Very good connections were made in Lamu. After Lamu I went to Ethiopia, where we ended up launching the album. We did a good press run, a conference the day after I arrived. We had quite a few press engagements with Team Lubanja and Venture Addis. But that team worked to put together a nice set of events, and then I was able to host a Yoga on Dub there as well, and that was very good because people came out right about the time when Corona was just about to make it’s appearance. People still came out, so by the time it was time for actual show, Corona had hit the world. But the people still came out, we had a full house! If it wasn’t for the Corona thing it would have probably been even more packed than the capacity. So that was really good and then we did interviews as well. I was able to talk about the issues of Africa, women’s rights, marijuana; things that are potentially controversial in that space but because I am from outside I could speak very freely. I think we made a good impact in that space, we then left very quickly because of what was happening there. I was supposed to go to the UK, to do a series of press events, yoga on dub and some other things but at that time we heard that Corona had hit the UK hard. So the question was, do I go back to Kenya or do I try to get to Jamaica. I started to realize that world travel had become tense at the time and I really didn’t want to become trapped. I wasn’t feeling very strong at that time so I really thought it best to just go across to Tanzania on Malafi’s recommendation. It just turned out that my road manager, has family here in Tanzania, which made it very easy to make the transition here in Tanzania. We made a connection with the Jamaican consulate here in Jamaica and they were able to facilitate us coming across and being here up to this point. Even in coming here, not knowing what it is we would be doing, I spent most of the past few weeks just acclimating, wrapping my mind around the new realities of the world. I was able to make some very good connections here. One of them is with a creative community of Rastafari – Wasili Asilia is the name of one of the bredrin’s company. He’s started off doing simple craft and now he has one of the most significant tanzanian shoe and fabric manufacturing companies. He’s a really good example of just industry and determination coming to full bloom. You will see some of our collaborations online like on my IG. There are more collaborations to come, we’re going to do a special line of Jah9 merch made in Africa. I also made another good connection with another company called Wanene TV, who did the production for my live performance of Note To Self. The only thing we have a problem with here in Tanzania is the internet and that is something we are constantly working on, but I’m not complaining because poor internet means low radiation levels. So we making it work because they have a real state of the art studio space, and everyone there is very welcoming. So the timing feels divine and Tanzania is one of the places where the movement isn’t very restricted, but this is the most freedom I would probably be able to get anywhere in the world right now.” Do you feel there’s a future for creatives in Africa, even amid this crisis? “Once travel is no longer a restriction, definitely. I would encourage it. I think the only way we’re going to bridge the gap between romanticized ideas of Africa, is by facilitating that.” Is there anything you’ve been working on or plans you have while in Tanzania that you are able to share? “We’re making plans for things that people can be a part of, like tours and retreats across, Kenya, Ethiopia and Tanzania as early as October/November/December into early next year. The idea is to create a model that I can replicate in West Africa, which I was supposed to visit last year. A whole lot of collaborations with the creative communities here, Africa is so welcoming. There’s people like Wanene TV who  I’ve linked with VP Records to handle production for my upcoming acoustic livestream and they’re excited to work with an international artist because they also want content for their station. Africa is so fruitful and vast, there is so much to do and so much freedom. I’m really just taking my time and being purposeful about how I want to move around the continent right now.”

Jamaica Chamber of Commerce and Kingston Creative announce ‘Block of Excellence’ partnership to transform Downtown Kingston

The Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC) signed an MOU with Kingston Creative to form a strategic alliance that will advance the mandate of the JCC to develop an improved Central Business District, which includes a vibrant  Arts District. This partnership leverages the UNESCO designation of Kingston as a Creative City of Music and will catalyse much needed economic and social benefits for residents, communities and businesses.

Downtown Kingston has a rich history, and while music, creativity and culture are deeply etched into its foundations, the city is suffering from crime and urban decay.  With the recent investments by entities like Pan Jam in the ROK Hotel and the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) and the City of Kingston’s steady investment in transforming Water Lane and its environs into a tourism hub, momentum is building to transform Downtown’s infrastructure, buildings, public art and green spaces, creating a ‘Block of Excellence’ in the heart of Jamaica’s capital city.

Many of the JCC’s members have been headquartered in Downtown Kingston for generations and are passionate about its redevelopment. The partners believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to enjoy a safe, livable, prosperous city.   The objective of the partnership is to develop an exemplary area between Tower Street and Ocean Boulevard which will be a pilot project that shows how art, creative placemaking, infrastructure upgrades and urban regeneration can improve the space in which Jamaicans live, work and play.  The vision puts people and their built environment first. The hope is that this will drive the regeneration of Downtown Kingston and accelerate innovation, monetization and the city’s overall global competitiveness.

“Our organisation is made up of businesses and professionals working together to ensure the most favourable environment for the effective and profitable operation of businesses, and to build and promote a healthy economy and improve the quality of life in Jamaica,” commented JCC President Ian Neita. “We see partnerships between the third sector and private sector as critical to success. Ultimately, our hope is that the Downtown Kingston area will become an inclusive and inspiring space to live and work, and a shining example of what civil society and corporate cooperation can achieve.”

“Our vision is that Kingston is the creative capital of the Caribbean” said Director and Art District lead Doris Gross. “As an NGO, our mission is to help creatives to succeed by providing the necessary training, resources, and environment, so that they can create economic and social value, gain access to global markets and have a positive impact on their local communities.  This partnership with the JCC will start to visibly demonstrate what the City of Kingston can become, and hopefully everyone will be inspired to get involved in restoring the heart of Kingston.”

This partnership between the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce and Kingston Creative is in furtherance of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and Vision 2030 for Jamaica.

 

 

 

On its 6th Anniversary, Kingston Creative announces the First 50 Founders and launches ‘100 Creative Innovators’ campaign to support the Cultural & Creative Industries in Jamaica

There was a celebratory mood at the Kingston Creative Hub in Downtown Kingston today as the First 50 Founders of the Creative City gathered to mark the 6th Anniversary of the arts NGO. 

Among the First 50 partners gathered at F&B Downtown were the Ministry of Culture, Gender Entertainment and Sport, the Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation, the Jamaica Observer, the Gleaner Company Limited, CB Facey Foundation, IDB Lab, JAMPRO, Main Event Entertainment Group, Sherwin Williams, iPrint Group, Edufocal, iCreate, Red Stripe, Jamaica Chamber of Commerce, Grace & Staff Community Development Foundation, ROK Hotel and more.

The Honourable Alando Terrelonge, State Minister in the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport remarked, “It is truly with a sense of pride and joy that I am here today. In 2018 when we received the call from Andrea and the vision was outlined of murals and a Creative Hub and they were looking for the First 50, we said that the Government must be the very first Founder, as it is in our interest to add our greater value to the cultural landscape.”  He also brought greetings from The Honourable Olivia Grange CD, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport who he stated could not be present that morning, but who sent her support.  He reiterated that the vision of Kingston Creative is a shared vision and that unified Government support sends a strong positive message to global partners.

Sarah Hsia, from Rockstone Legal commented, “Rockstone Legal is proud to support Kingston Creative as a First 50 Founder of the Creative City. We have long recognized that Jamaica is a global cultural heavyweight, and believe that a focus on the development of our creative economy is an important driver of overall economic development and wellbeing. Our role is to empower creativity by teaching people about the business of creativity. We look forward to supporting Kingston Creative through workshops and education, and providing pro bono legal assistance to Kingston Creative and the KC community.”

Sean Wallace, Head of Commerce, Red Stripe, commented, “As one of the first corporate sponsors of Kingston Creative and a strong supporter of the drive to expand the creative economy in Jamaica, we could not be more pleased to see the continued growth of your movement. The Red Stripe team salutes the work you have been doing and looks forward to celebrating your wins as you strive to elevate the profile and substance of the creative industries, and the many talented Jamaicans who keep it thriving. For an iconic brand like ours, we relish the energy and the vibe of the creative community; and through our support of music, food and other cultural expressions over the last several decades, we have sought to ensure that great art from this big little island always has a platform for exposure. Red Stripe congratulates you on your innovation and determination as together we promote and support local creatives to the world!” – Sean Wallace, Head of Commerce, Red Stripe.  

Finally, the Mayor of Kingston, His Worship Councillor Delroy Williams and the CEO of the Kingston & St. Andrew Municipal Corporation, Robert Hill were also in attendance and voiced their support.  The Mayor commended the Kingston Creative team on their achievements over the six year period and thanked everyone who has been supporting what is happening in Downtown and right across the Municipality.  He expressed the appreciation of the municipality saying, “Government on its own cannot do all that needs to happen. The private sector, private individuals and groupings must get involved in the entire process.  In the case of Kingston Creative it’s not just an idea they are running with, they are actually implementing and doing projects and helping in the transformation and the use of the space.  The events that they host are very important to the process of developing Downtown, and are critical to the promotion of the space.  In 3-4 years, we want to see that the space is consistently being used. We give our full support and we know that you have the full support of the MInistry and the entire government.”  

“Six years ago we declared a vision of a Creative Hub and a vibrant Art District in Downtown Kingston, but we knew that we could not achieve this on our own which is why we launched the First 50 campaign,“ stated Andrea Dempster Chung.  Even though we have met that target, there are still lots of ways to get involved. Kingston Creative is launching 100 Creative Innovators – a network of individuals and companies that fund programmes that support the cultural and creative industries in Jamaica.  We believe that if organisations are going to base their operations in a highly creative country, it is imperative that they support the arts. This is a call for everyone to come forward and get involved in supporting creatives, developing Downtown Kingston and growing the creative economy.”  

First 50 Founders of the Creative City
Listed in alphabetical order

1 American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ)

2 Blue Mahoe Capital

3 CB Facey Foundation

4 Coldwell Bankers

5 Crime Stop

6 Dennis Shipping

7 Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ)

8 Digicel Foundation

9 Duke Street Refurbishment Programme

10 Edufocal Group

11 European Union

12 F&B Downtown

13 Flow

14 Gleaner

15 Global Cultural Districts Network

16 Grace and Staff Community Development Foundation

17 Heart Trust NTA 

18 Hub Coworking

19 ICD Group

20 iCreate

21 Inter-American Development Bank (IDB Lab)

22 iPrint Group

23 Itopia Life

24 Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) 

25 Jamaica Chamber Commerce

26 Jamaica Observer

27 Jamaica Social Investment Fund

28 Jamaica Tourist Board

29 JAMPRO

30 Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation

31 Main Event Entertainment Group

32 Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment & Sport

33 Naylor Mullings

34 Paperboy JA

35 Phase 3 Productions

36 Planning Institute of Jamaica

37 PR Etc.

38 Red Stripe

39 Reel Vibez

40 Rok Hilton Hotel

41 Rokstone Legal

42 Running Events JA

43 Sagicor

44 Sherwin Williams

45 Spanish Court Hotel

46 Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF)

47 TPDCO 

48 tTech Limited

49 Urban Development Corporation

50 World Bank

Kingston Creative today announced that 114 applicants applied to be a part of the second Creative Hub Incubator Cohort . Since 2021, Kingston Creative has partnered with the InterAmerican Development Bank’s IDB Lab and the Development Bank of Jamaica’s BIGEE programme, to help early-stage Orange Economy startups drive business growth. The incubator provides this through mentoring, provision of working space and scaling activities.
Kingston Creative helps startups in the Cultural and Creative Industries to connect and network, with a focus on generating internal traction. Over the past two years, the Creative Hub has incubated a total of 12 startups and facilitated coworking space, pitch nights, meetups, hackathons, B2B meetings and technology adoption for many creative entrepreneurs.
For the second cohort, twelve (12) new Creative Startups were selected by a panel of creatives and entrepreneurs on August 2, 2022. The selection panel consisted of Joshua Chamberlain (Manager, March for Music Education Jamaica),Maria Hitchins (Lecturer and Founder of Dancers of Jamaica), Kerrie Richards (Kingston Creative Entrepreneur Development Specialist) and Karen Hutchinson (CREATECH Programme Manager).

The participants in the 2022 Creative Hub Incubator are Tamika Nelson, Lilieth Case, Jordanne Alveranga, Jenelle Samuels, Lesli-Ann Belnavis-Elliott, Shavaun Reid, Alexandra Stultz, Jonathan Roberts, Kay Smith and Debra McKessey.

During the course of the program, the incubatees will receive mentorship, attend workshops designed to enrich business skills and gain membership at the Kingston Creative Hub (located at 107 Harbour Street in Downtown Kingston) which gives them access to a hot desk, meeting rooms, and a shared office.

They will also have the opportunity to apply for travel grants, pitch for startup funding and be paired with potential investors through JAMPRO supported B2B meetings. Finally, they have the chance to network with other creative entrepreneurs and grow with a community of like-minded individuals.

Kerrie Richards, Kingston Creative Entrepreneur Development Specialist commented, “What we will do over the next few months will be life changing. The creatives will be given the tools, training and environment that will create a solid structure for growth. It will be an exciting time and I look forward to supporting them.“

Christopher Brown, Project Manager, DBJ’s Boosting Innovation Growth and Entrepreneurship Ecosystems (BIGEE) stated, “The DBJ, through BIGEE, is delighted to partner with Kingston Creative in facilitating the growth and development of Jamaica’s Creatives. We are committed to unlocking the entrepreneurship side of our creatives to maximise the value and sustainability of their talent.”
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Kingston Creative is investing in “People and Place”; developing strong Jamaican creative entrepreneurs and building a vibrant Art District in Downtown Kingston.

In light of the impact on creative people and businesses from the COVID-19 outbreak, Kingston Creative is introducing a new pot of funds for virtual arts activities, called Digital Commissions.  Understanding that it is critical to keep creatives earning and visible during this time, the local arts NGO is allocating $2,700,000 to new commissions that creatives in Jamaica can apply until – May 31, 2020 by contacting [email protected]. There are four tiers of Digital Commissions: 1. The Virtual Artwalk Artists and Artisans can record videos which will be aired on Last Sundays on Kingston Creative’s IGTV channel and be available on Kingston Creative’s YouTube Channel afterwards. The goal is to keep artists earning from virtual performances; to maintain artists visibility while promoting their contact details and delivery options that they use to get the goods to the customers and of finally to allow the audience to experience and enjoy the arts and creative products during this period. Artists and Artisans will be paid $5000 – $15,000 for each segment depending on the length of the segment. Up to 50 artists will be selected each month. 2. Creative Presentations Creatives can pre-record or livestream a webinar or workshop for airing on their own social media platforms and/or the Kingston Creative Social media channels.  This can take the form of an artist talk, a “how-to” workshop, a book reading, or studio tour. Recommended platforms are Zoom, Facebook Live or IGTV. The artist must interact by answering questions posted by viewers in the comments section for 15 minutes. Kingston Creative will provide training and support and pay a fee of $5,000 – $15,000 to each selected artist. Up to 10 artists per month will be selected. 3. Artist Articles  We are looking for a series of written features (~2000 word minimum), accompanied by photographs or video that give insight into a day in the life or career path of a Jamaican creative (artist/writer/filmmaker/fashion designer etc.).  These will be selected, posted on social media and published on the Kingston Creative Website and Blog. Each selected artist will be paid $10,000 – 20,000 for the feature. Up to five artists will be selected each month. 4. Open Commissions Pitch Kingston Creative an idea for an innovative online event, discussion, performance or exhibition – anything that can take place or be displayed online. These are open commissions, so bring your best ideas, and say how much you think it will cost.  Applications from collectives or industry associations are welcomed. Kingston Creative is committed to ensuring the continuity and viability of creative entrepreneurs during this challenging time.   They will be continuing to implement the mural commissions and contracts that were in train for visual artists to create street art in Downtown Kingston, provided that the necessary social distancing and Ministry of Health orders can be properly observed. The nonprofit organisation is also polling the creative community to identify the individuals at risk, needs, recommendations and strategies that people are using to cope or pivot their businesses. They then share this information and suggestions made by the creative community with decision-makers regularly. To participate in the survey, use the link:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SCK365F Last but not least, Kingston Creative encourages open communication between creative practitioners at this time. Through a weekly online chat about resilience in the arts sector, they are creating a collaborative space to discuss solutions. This happens on Thursdays at 10:00 am and people can direct message Kingston Creative on any social media platform to receive the Zoom link to join in.  People can also share their views and suggestions via Twitter by posting comments and questions using the hashtag: #COVID19JACCI. View Linkedin Post

Kingston Creative, in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank Lab (IDB Lab) and the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) is introducing a Travel Grant Programme which will facilitate visits to overseas markets by six creative entrepreneurs between August 2022 – December 2023. This year, three Jamaican creatives will participate in creative fora and festivals in Mexico, Haiti & Curacao respectively.

The artists participating in this year’s Travel Grant programme are Kenardo Ellis (musician), Anthony Smith (visual artist), and Matthew McCarthy (visual artist). They will be participating in the UNESCO Creative Cities Forum in Querétaro, Mexico, the Kaya Kaya Festival in Curaçao, and the Festi Graffiti Festival in Haiti respectively.

“Travel is essential for Caribbean artists,” stated Andrea Dempster Chung, Executive Director of Kingston Creative. “Not only does it give inspiration and foster collaboration, it allows artists to reach new customers. We have a relatively small market in Jamaica for creative services and it is important that our artists have the opportunity to showcase their talent, export their artwork and develop strong business connections in other regions of the world. This is a very exciting programme and a big part of what we are doing is giving creatives access to income-earning opportunities they would not usually get.”

Kenardo ‘Ken’ Ellis, reggae musician and Travel Grant participant said, “This is a great time opportunity for creatives looking to expand their reach. This integration will bring forth more diverse opportunities to grow our creative culture and foster collective partnership among creatives from various parts of the world. I am more than grateful and honoured to be a part of this initiative.”

“The travel grant makes perfect sense for an emerging creative scene like Jamaica,” said Matthew McCarthy, “Kingston Creative understood that people want to connect and there are many opportunities to do so if things are coordinated well. I’m really grateful for that aspect. The grant helps to make these connections more seamless.”

“I am humbled to be part of Kingston Creative’s first travel grant.” Anthony Smith, Travel Grant participant stated, “ It’s an awesome thing to see what a collaboration of aligned values and interests can do for the creative economy at the national level. Great things are in store.”

Kingston Creative will launch an annual summit this month, the Kingston Culture Forum. The Kingston Culture Forum is a conference convening cultural and creative industry stakeholders in the public, private, academic and social sectors. The theme for the event will be “Downtown Kingston: creative economy, placemaking and sustainable urban development”.

The first staging, slated for September 24th of this year, aims to attract a wide audience with participation from local creatives, as well as regional and global participants. The Kingston Culture Forum will focus on centering cultural and creative dialogue on Downtown Kingston, building confidence in using technology for the sustainable preservation of cultural heritage and promotion of creative industries and to also advocate for a data-driven approach to cultural and creative industry policymaking.

The Kingston Creative Culture Forum programme will include the following components:

• Museums, and heritage institutions and their role in preserving cultural memory in the digital age – Moderated by – Dr. Sonjah Stanley Niaah, Institute Caribbean Studies
• Creative Placemaking and Urban Regeneration in Cultural and Creative Cities – Moderator – Moderated by – Ms. Maxine Fisher-Casserly, Urban Development Corporation
• Policies for growing cultural and creative industries through the Festival/Experience economy – Moderated by – Mr. Harold Davis, Jamaica Business Development Corporation
• Capacity building in communities: promoting creative industry and preserving heritage in at-risk communities – Moderated by – Ms. Rhian Holder, Jamaica Social Investment Fund
• Creative Partnership & Opportunity Pitch – Moderated by – Mr. Kimalea Campbell, Executive Director, Weekly Projects
• ‘CreaTech’: best practices in Creativity and Technology amongst creatives – Moderator – Dr. Isis Semaj-Hall, Pree Lit Magazine

Additionally, the event will feature a performance by Sevana and an extensive list of esteemed guest speakers including:

• Jherane Patmore, Rebel Women Lit
• Joshua Chamberlain, The Alpha Institute
• Renee Robinson, JAMPRO
• Michael Holgate, The Ashe Company
• Kevin Jackson, Jamaican Animation Nation Network
• Dr. Shani Roper, University of the West Indies Museum
• Justine Henzell, Calabash Literary Festival
• Howard McIntosh, Economic Advisory Board
• Charmaine Brimm, Planning Institute of Jamaica
• JLL, Music Producer
• O’Neil Lawrence, National Gallery of Jamaica

More participants will be announced. To register and for more information please visit – bit.ly/kingstoncultureforumregistration

Given the importance of the cultural and creative industries to the vitality of Jamaica and the region, Kingston Creative wants to address the global challenges, and consider the role that technology, enabled by public-private-third sector partnerships, will play in sustainable development through preserving cultural heritage and promoting the creative industry.

Kingston Creative transforms the monthly Artwalk festival experience by going virtual on Sunday, March 29, 2020. Amid the outbreak of the unprecedented Coronavirus (COVID-19), small businesses and entrepreneurs in the creative sector are likely to be affected by the increased social distancing. The Virtual Artwalk will give artists and creative entrepreneurs an opportunity to earn from virtual performances and promotions. The inaugural Virtual Artwalk is the first digital commission of a newly created fund aimed at hosting various virtual art activities, sponsored by Sagicor, tTech and Tourism Enhancement Fund, First 50 sponsors of the Downtown Kingston Art District. Creatives can access this fund between March 20 – May 31, 2020 by emailing [email protected] The exciting Artwalk experience kicks off on Kingston Creative’s IGTV channel at 11 am until 2 pm with performances from various artists and a showcase from vendors that will allow the audience to enjoy the arts while they shop for locally made creative products. The virtual experience will be made available on Kingston Creative’s Youtube channel after March 29, 2020. This month’s theme is Literature, and we will be enjoying performances from the likes of:

• Jamaica Poetry Society – Poetry Corner featuring the poets: Wise Wurdz & Toots Hibbert, Ann Margaret Lim, Casey Garvey, Maverick, Peta-Gay Williams, Cherry Natural
• Iya Tear – Musician from Trench Town

• Christine Wright –  Animated Storyteller

• Long Story Short – Modern Jamaican Storytelling with Charl Baker

• Ania Freer “Goat Curry Gallery” 2 documentary films on Alexander ‘Bamboo King’ Dempster (b.1955), Annotto Bay, St. Mary, and Albert ‘St John’ Phipps (b.1958), Port Antonio, Portland

• Majah – Dub Poetry Performance

• Rebel Women Lit – Virtual Book Club presents Quaren-Reads

• Ozoune and Pon Fyah – Jazz Band

• Tahelia Taylor – Experimental Poetry

The official virtual after-party will be led by DJ Fenix as an Instagram LIVE from Kingston Creative’s account @kingstoncreativejm. The Virtual Artwalk will happen every Last Sunday of the month, on Kingston Creative’s IGTV channel from March – June 2020 with the footage available on Kingston Creatives YouTube Channel afterward. Persons and/or organizations interested in being a part of the series of Virtual Artwalks are encouraged to email [email protected] For bookings or additional details please contact: Tavia Benjamin Kingston Creative Tel: (876) 844-1954 Email: [email protected] ABOUT KINGSTON CREATIVE

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Kingston Creative is a non-profit organization that believes in using creativity and culture to empower creatives and transform the city.  They believe that the cultural and creative industries can be a catalyst for national development and are developing an Art District and Creative Hub in Downtown Kingston, Jamaica. Kingston Creative is developing an Art District and Creative Hub in what they call the creative capital of the Caribbean, Downtown Kingston, Jamaica in partnership with “First 50” Sponsors. You can follow Kingston Creative on social media Instagram, Facebook and on Twitter or visit the website for more info or to get involved.     <style>#hero {background:black;height: 400px !important;}.single .hero-fullwidth .title-service h2 {color: white !important;}.article-img{display:none}#widget-area {display:none}.col-lg-8{width:100%} p{font-size:16px !important}</style>  

 

                     

Urban revitalization is on everyone’s radar as cities strive to remake blighted areas into economically productive and attractive spaces.  The United Nations recently launched “SDG Cities” through UN Habitat; a 1000 city global initiative to unleash the potential of cities to accelerate sustainable development and improve quality of life for all. Cities generate 80% of the world’s economy, and countries cannot afford to have their city centres in a state of decay. Formerly the thriving commercial and cultural centre of Jamaica, “Uptown” flight left Downtown Kingston underinvested and surrounded by some of the most densely populated, politicized, high crime and poverty ridden communities in the country.

 

A Downtown Renaissance

After over half a century of neglect, what remains is an interesting mix of established businesses, creative people, communities with a global cultural brand and architectural assets ripe for renovation. The harbour, churches, theatres, museums, eateries, history, shops, and street art all make cultural tourism a viable strategy for Downtown Kingston’s renaissance. As UNESCO recognized with the Creative City of Music designation in 2015, this is the crucible where most of Jamaica’s music was birthed. With solid leadership and investment, the old city can become an attractive space for locals and visitors alike, creating jobs and opportunities with business clusters for both the consumption and production of creative goods and services.

The Kingston Creative tagline is “art for social and economic transformation” and it useful to explore what that means when put in practice. When the arts are used to revitalize a space, it is generally referred to as ‘creative placemaking’.  This involves beautification, infrastructure improvement, as well as engaging communities in activating the space through festivals, live music, and events. Creative placemaking brings value to the city in diverse ways, such as artistic, educational, social, community, urban, environmental and economic value through cultural tourism and creative economy growth.

 

Avoiding the Dangers of Gentrification

The question is how the transformation of Downtown Kingston can be achieved without gentrification.  Gentrification is generally regarded as an undesirable side-effect of urban renewal campaigns. It involves the marginalization and displacement of existing residents and communities, because of increases in property values. This affects longtime residents, grassroots economic ventures such as street vending, markets, corner shops and bars, informal and traditional manufacturing, cottage industries and even community events such as street dances. A lot of this happens passively, and sometimes even unintentionally, but in its extreme form, gentrification involves active “social cleansing,” whereby poor and marginalized individuals and communities are deliberately targeted and removed from the area to make way for more “desirable” inhabitants (Janoschka & Sequera).

One can see how the well-meaning efforts to “beautify” and regenerate Downtown Kingston, could lead to the exclusion and eviction of residents to the sole benefit of developers and property owners.  The communities in danger of displacement are arguably the creators of the culture which is so critical to Jamaica’s identity and brand.  To displace a community of potters that have lived in Rose Town for centuries, passing on knowledge and skills from generation to generation, would be disastrous.  Disruption of networks of musicians in Trench Town could limit their ability to collaborate, innovate and create new genres of Jamaican music in the future. A street dance In Rae Town is a community affair, and it is not a stretch to say that in our fragile cultural ecosystem, largely unsupported by state structures, much of Jamaica’s cultural capital could be destroyed by gentrification of Downtown communities.

 

Social Justice & Partnership

There must be an element of social justice in any transformation process, and it has long been posited that the provision of affordable housing is the best way to prevent gentrification. We believe in a three-pronged approach grounded in strong public, private, and third-sector partnerships with coordination on matters of urban regeneration and creative economy growth. This partnership approach is key to achieving the balanced, inclusive development, that we seek in Downtown Kingston. Our partnership with the Jamaica Social Investment Fund, CB Facey Foundation, Fight for Peace, Boys Town and PIOJ’s Community Renewal Programme are designed to ensure grassroots level inclusion and anti-gentrification.  Through the PIOJ, communities will soon be mapped to identify creative people and existing creative assets which must be centred in a ground up approach to development planning. The decision-making around culture and urban development must incorporate the interests of national and local government units, academia, grassroots movements, civic society, the residents of Downtown and the private sector.

 

Collaboration

Top-down and ground-up organizations and processes must work together to develop cities and simultaneously empower communities. Top-down plans generated by foreign consultants can be disconnected from community needs and destroy aspects of intangible heritage of which they are unaware.  However there are limitations to a ground-up approach, as it can also be ineffective in dealing with macro-planning issues like zoning, transportation, historical preservation policies and the necessary civil and technological infrastructure needed for growth.  We believe that that top-down policies need to meet the ground-up action.  This will result in a collaborative process underpinned by community co-creation and the deliberate inclusion of diverse voices at the decision-making table.

Kingston Creative believes that creativity is the ultimate sustainable resource, and we align our initiatives with Vision 2030 and achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. We seek to collaborate, bridging gaps and aligning initiatives as much as possible so that redundancies are reduced, and synergies are achieved.  The creative agenda should be central at all levels of policy formulation, urban investment, and decision making.  We want to see a future in which Downtown Kingston is thriving, and the cultural and creative industries, which is powered by ordinary Jamaican people, are allocated the appropriate respect, resources, structure, and support to be widely acknowledged as one of the top industries driving growth in Jamaica.

 

 

Andrea Dempster-Chung, Executive Director, Kingston Creative

 

Andrea is the cofounder of Kingston Creative, a nonprofit charity organisation seeking to transform Downtown Kingston through Art and Culture. She is a strategic business coach and has held senior management roles in the Government of Jamaica, Digicel and Gracekennedy and is also the founder of Bookophilia, a bookstore that promotes Caribbean literature. She has served on the boards of Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), The National Land Agency (NLA) and the Public Health Committee. She recently managed the Arts portfolio for the British Council where she developed strategy and implemented key projects in film, literature and visual art, in order to drive the creative economy in Jamaica. Andrea studied Art and Finance at the Sotheby’s School of Art in London, Finance at the Stanford School of Business in California and is certified in Project Management. She holds a Master of Science in Structural Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Send your questions and comments to: [email protected]

Hey KC Fam! We are excited to, once again, share the amazing creatives that take part in our programmes! 

This week we will be sharing the creatives that took part in our Creative Hub Incubator Programme, done in partnership with the Kingston Creative Hub, IDB Labs and the Development Bank of Jamaica.
The Creative Hub Incubator is a 6 month programme that provides entrepreneurs with a workspace in the Kingston Creative Hub, mentorship and training sessions to achieve product market fit. 

Below are the amazing Creative Hub Incubator awardees!

1. Javier Dayes 

Javier Dayes is the multidisciplinary artist behind TheArtistJavier. Javier specialises in traditional painting, digital art, street art (including murals) and tableware! His unique style will definitely catch your attention and is an artist you should have on your radar! 

Learn more about Javier here: https://theartistjavier.wixsite.com/javier 

 

2. Amanda Lazarus 

Currently employed as a Part-Time Adjunct Lecturer of Photography at Edna Manley College (SCEAP Dept.), Amanda is also working hard at developing her own niche service; Photo Restoration and Digitization. Her passion for photography expands even further as she also specialises in boudoir photography.

Her photography skills and photo restoration services are worth seeing for yourself. She is truly a talent! 

Learn more about Amanda Lazarus here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-lazarus-ja/?originalSubdomain=jm  

 

 

3. Glen Henry 

Glen Henry is the face and fingers behind SpriteWrench Studios, an independent gaming studio that focuses on smaller, self-contained titles with an emphasis on narrative elements. He also offers consultancy services within his areas of expertise.  

Learn more about SpriteWrench Studios here: https://spritewrench.com/ 

4. Aquino Davis (Rouge) 

Aquino Davis, who prefers to go by the name Rogue,  is the talent behind the Jen Quinson  clothing brand. Specialising in beach wear, resort wear, sandals and lingerie, Rogue aspires to bring their grandmother’s dream of a clothing brand to life.  

Learn more about Jen Quinson here: https://www.instagram.com/jqkingstonwest/

 

 

 

 

5. Andre Hutchinson 

Andre Hutchinson is the author, designer and mind behind the Scribbles, a compelling story book series for all ages.

Learn more about Scribbles here: https://scribblespencil.com/about-us/  

 

 

6. Danijah Taylor 

Danijah Taylor is the owner of Studio Dan, a Jamaican-based production studio that focuses on “penpowerment”; the improvement of  literacy, creativity, and critical thinking in our youth. 

Learn more about Danijah here: https://www.instagram.com/writinggod/

 

7. Lisa Golding

Lisa Golding designs vibrant and uplifting stationery for ambitious women who are ready to heal, to reclaim their joy and thrive. She inspires positive thinking, joy and personal growth.

Learn more about Lisa here: https://www.behance.net/inspirespring?fbclid=IwAR1T_aHuVgbdLJRjOpd_PFkkqG3GT1FTbK-5u20sIBRIq4EeoVK1zzsV_7s 

 

8. Jerry Valentine 

Jerry Valentine is a serial entrepreneur and board enthusiast. He is owner and craftsman at BoadHaus a local woodshop that creates authentic Jamaican Woodcrafts and signs.

Learn more about BoadHaus here: https://boadhaus.com/ 

9. Rebecca Meek 

Rebecca Meek is a self taught designer and photographer. She has worked with companies such as RCA, Def Jam, Philip Johnson, Island Records, Sony Music, and Deutsche Grammophon and photographed icons such as Etta James, The Isley Brothers, Run DMC, Sly & Robbie, Capleton and DJ Quik.

Learn more about Rebecca here: https://rebeccameek.com/ 

 

10. Odari Pusey

Odari Pusey is the CEO of DARI Clothing, a clothing company that does custom embroidery, printing and graphics based on customer requests. 

Learn more about Odari Pusey here: https://www.instagram.com/dari_clothing/ 

 

11. Cleon Williams 

Cleon Williams is the founder of Final Render Animation Studio (F.R.A.S), an independent studio that creates immersive and dynamic content for global consumption and engagement within the animation and game development society. 

Learn more about Final Render Animation Studio: https://cleowillo.itch.io/ 

 

12. Khadijah Hurst 

Khadijah Hurst is the mind behind MoBay Link, a company that aims to become a thriving network of and for Entrepreneurs: to support and scaffold solid bases from which to thrive and promote their products, services, businesses, brands, and personalities both island-side and beyond Jamaicas shores.

Learn more about Khadijah here: https://www.facebook.com/MoBayLink/ 

 

The Creative Hub Incubator  is one of several initiatives under the Kingston Creative CREATECH programme, a partnership with IDB Lab designed to provide opportunities for creative entrepreneurs. To learn more about CREATECH visit: https://kingstoncreative.org/createch/. 

Hey KC Fam! Hope you are doing great this Friday! This Friday, we are excited to introduce you to the awardees for our Go Global Accelerator Programme, one of the several programmes done under the CreaTech initiative, done in partnership with IDB Labs and the Development Bank of Jamaica!

In the Accelerator, 10 creative entrepreneurs were accepted as our first cohort. For 3 months, these creative entrepreneurs did courses to help improve:

1. Their business skills 
2. Their technology skills
3. Their ability to tap into global markets. 

We are proud of the progress these entrepreneurs have made in the Go Global Accelerator and are excited to share these creative entrepreneurs with you!

 1. Teika Samuda

Teika Samuda is the principal consultant at the Being Jamaican Tour Company. Being Jamaican offers authentic Jamaican experiences and curates packages that feature the best of Jamaica; highlighting its people, culture, music and natural beauty. Being Jamaican removes the hassles of planning and executing a trip, allowing clients to focus on enjoying the experience.

Follow Teika here: https://www.instagram.com/teikasamuda
And book your first Being Jamaican tour here: https://www.instagram.com/beingjamaican

2. Dainty Wilson

Dainty Wilson is the Managing Director of YAADBridge Entertainment, a film, television and audio production Company with a focus on creative production, audio-visual entertainment and talent management in the Caribbean.

Follow Dainty WIlson here: [link to personal page: https://instagram.com/daintyfaces
Learn more about YAADBridge here: https://yaadbridge.com

3. Sanjay Ramadan

You may know Sanjay as one of the hosts of the TVJ programme Intense, but in our Go Global Accelerator programme, he is the CEO of BELLEH23, a company that provides creative lodgings for International travelers with a core demographic of Dancehall Dancers internationally. 

Learn more about BELLEH23 here: http://www.belleh23ja.com

4. Jherane Patmore 

Jherane Patmore is the founder of Rebel Women Lit (RWL), a community of literary community-based in Jamaica, with members worldwide interested in using literature as a source of self-care. RWL has paid membership, an e-commerce bookstore, a podcast, and an active newsletter. 

Learn more about Rebel Women Lit here: https://www.rebelwomenlit.com

5. Adam Cummings

Adam Cummings is the CEO of Apeiron Digital Pro Ltd, is a creative digital media company that creates compelling visual content through photography, videography, digital cinematography and graphic design. They combine creative storytelling techniques with high quality visuals to move audiences and supply clients with what they need for their consumers.

Learn more about Apeiron Digital Pro Ltd here: https://www.instagram.com/apeiron.dp

6. Twain Richardson

Twain Richardson is the Colourist/ Finishing Editor at Frame of Reference Ltd (FoR), the leading post production studio in Jamaica. FoR is renowned for delivering exceptional video editing, colour grading, vfx, and motion graphics services to their clients and has developed an identity that provides reliability, efficiency and quality in all our services.

Follow Twain Richardson here: [link to IG: https://www.instagram.com/twainrichardson
Learn more about Frame of Reference here: https://www.facebook.com/forpostprod

7. Kaiel Eytle 

Kaiel Eytle is the CEO of Watooka Films Ltd, a company focused on developing original content for the screen. Taking IP from source material or IP stage right through both creative and business development stages to pair it with producers and distributors worldwide.

Learn more about Kaiel here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaielaeytle/?originalSubdomain=jm#experience 

8. Monique Kennedy

Monique Kennedy is the CEO of Hold My Brand (HMB), a company that delivers on-demand branding services to start-ups and small businesses. Their clients (entrepreneurs in the U.S. and Canada) gain access to the expertise and support of a full branding team of qualified designers from Jamaica and the Caribbean, for the cost of hiring one (1) freelancer in North America and 60% less than hiring a traditional agency. 

The cornerstone of our operations is our project management framework that has allows us to cut the average delivery timeline of 6-12 weeks down to as little as one (1) day.
Learn more about Monique and Hold My Brand here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shesmonique/?originalSubdomain=jm 

9. Eileen Dunkley-Shim

If Eileen Dunkley-Shim seems familiar to you, that’s because on top of being a part of our Accelerator, she was the second place winner in our Best Pitch Forward Competition last year!
Eileen’s Netty’s Farm brand sells kombucha and strives to be Jamaica’s number 1 kombucha brand. Kombucha is a fermented fizzy tea, flavoured with fruits and spices. As of right now, Netty’s Farm kombucha now retails in 4 locations in Kingston and 1 cafe in Montego Bay. 

Learn more about Netty’s Farm here: https://www.instagram.com/nettysfarm

10. Alison Hinds

Alison Hinds is the brain behind AliCraftsJa, an art education operation that usually hosts Paint N Sip events. However they do occasional sales from selling artwork such as quote boards, paintings and pop-up cards.

Learn more about AliCraftsJa here: https://www.facebook.com/AlicraftsJa

 

The Go Global Accelerator is one of several initiatives under the Kingston Creative CREATECH programme, a partnership with IDB Lab designed to provide opportunities for creative entrepreneurs. To learn more about CREATECH visit: https://kingstoncreative.org/createch/.