Category: Blog_Post

Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Hon. Dana Morris-Dixon, in partnership with UNICEF and Kingston Creative, join students at Water Lane, Downtown Kingston, to celebrate Global School Play Day earlier today (Feb. 5). She highlighted the vital role of play in child development, emphasising its impact on resilience, teamwork, and essential life skills.

I have been getting some excellent feedback about the police officers these days. If they behave unprofessionally, we should say that, but when they do well, we should also say it. Encouragement does sweeten labour. The following was sent to me by a well-known musician, Rosina Christina Moder, the wife of another well-known musician, Peter Ashbourne.

The Journey from Reggae Music Mecca to Creative Economy Hub.

Jamaica has long been a cultural mecca, with over 4 million visitors per year coming to its shores to soak up the sun and experience the culture. This is the birthplace of Bob Marley, reggae music, and no less than five other major music genres, including dancehall, ska, rocksteady, dub, and mento. The creative talent isn’t just limited to music as Jamaica also has a creditable showing in dance, literature, film, visual arts, the culinary arts, and craft.

Poverty and crime, seen at its worst in the inner cities of Kingston, appears quite at odds with Jamaica’s cultural reputation. A common misconception is that Jamaica is doing well, having earned significant income from its reggae music industry. The reality, however, is that most of the economic activity (recording, publishing, distribution) that drives the Jamaican music industry is domiciled offshore.

Wikipedia’s list of international reggae festivals lists 136 events – all located outside of Jamaica. Jamaica does have two major reggae festivals, Sumfest and Rebel Salute, and by comparison, Italy has 16. While a few individual Jamaican artists may do well from touring overseas, most local creatives struggle to make a living. Over the years, the lion’s share of the earnings from Jamaica’s culture, accumulated in other countries, leaving Jamaica underdeveloped.

Globaleconomy.com reveals that Jamaica’s ranks second in the world for ‘human flight and brain drain’, out of 177 countries, achieving a rating of 9.5 out of 10 in 2023. As both the business and the audience are overseas, it is no surprise that artists of all types frequently migrate, contributing to the crippling brain drain experienced by the island and depleting the cultural sector of talent.

But all is not lost. Jamaica can still turn around its fortunes and it is betting on its cultural capital to take it there. Attention is being paid to developing creative entrepreneurs and aligning the policies needed to spur Creative Economy growth. Investments are being made to provide the funding and infrastructure that artists and creatives need to monetize their talent. The informality of the sector is also being challenged, as new programmes actively encourage creative entrepreneurs to register their businesses and their intellectual property, at no cost.

The recent developments augur well for the future of the cultural and creative industries; from a billion-dollar Film Fund to free creative training, creative coworking spaces, and a new Art District being developed in Downtown Kingston. The vibrant murals in Water Lane created by a young cadre of artists and animated by augmented reality, are spurring the rapid growth of cultural tourism in once desolate back streets.

Behind the scenes, this change is being driven from the bottom up, with a complex raft of multilateral, public, private and third sector partnerships as well as Jamaica’s extensive Diaspora lending support. It appears that the potential of the creative economy to deliver much needed growth is now being understood by the creatives themselves, as well as the policymakers. Concrete steps are being taken to ensure that the local ecosystem is improved, so that with the next wave of art and music emanating from Jamaica, the creators, artists and local communities hopefully will be the ones that benefit.

As a small island nation of only 2.8 million people, Jamaica’s musical and sporting icons have no business being global household names. The true power of Jamaican culture goes way beyond the entertainment value or even the possibility of culture delivering economic growth. Jamaica’s culture speaks to its people, its heritage, a turbulent history, a sense of fierce independence and social consciousness – powerful messages of “one love” that the world has embraced, and which Jamaica must do everything possible to preserve.

Author: Andrea Dempster Chung, March 2024
Photo Credits: Verrol Blake

 

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.”

There’s something about Jamaica that made me feel like I was home, like the island reached out with open arms and said, “Come here, chile, you’re one of us.”

From the moment my feet touched Jamaican soil, I had a little theme song playing in my head: Jamaica, Jamaicaaaa. Why? Because in just 36 hours, this island’s spirit had infiltrated my system. My blood? Now, 30% jerk seasoning, 20% curry and a cheeky splash of rum cream for balance.

Jamaica’s reputation as a cultural powerhouse is undeniable, but are we fully leveraging it to drive economic growth? The Freedom Street New Year’s Eve concert made headlines, attracting 32,000 visitors and generating an estimated $30 million in revenue. It was a clear demonstration of the economic potential of large-scale entertainment events.

Globally, festivals are major economic drivers. Burning Man generates $66M USD and attracts 70,000 visitors to the Nevada desert. The Edinburgh Festival in Scotland brings in 4 million attendees, generating $504M USD. Rio Carnivalin Brazil welcomes 5 million visitors annually, contributing $760M USD to the economy. Even tiny Ibiza, with a population of 154,000, hosts over 500 events per season, making 84% of its GDP from tourism.

With our rich culture and global brand recognition, Jamaica has everything it takes to establish itself as a true Festival Island. But what will it take to get there?

At our latest Kingston Creative Meetup, we explored this topic with Scott Dunn, Group Managing Director of Dream Entertainment Ltd., the team behind Dream Weekend and Xodus Carnival. In a fireside chat with Andrea Dempster Chung, he shared insights on festival growth, industry challenges, and what’s needed to scale Jamaica’s festival economy.

 

 

Q/ How did you decide to start up the Dream Entertainment Group and what one moment has been the highlight of your career journey?

I have a lot of partners in Dream. It came out of some previous festivals happening in Negril, ATI and RTI that were attracting Jamaican college students who were home for the summer.  We were competing every year, but at some point 11 of us promoters got together and said if we took the best events from ATI and the best of RTI, what would that be – “A Dream Weekend”. I’ve been in the business for 31 years, doing events.  We started Dream in 2009, and 16 years later we are still going strong. The growth of our business has always come through collaboration. A highlight was doing Dream weekend in Malta, where we did 11 events in 4 days and Dream Weekend at sea for 3000 people on a cruise ship for 5 nights.  

 

Q/You have charted a very successful local, regional and international expansion path for Dream Entertainment, how did you do it?

Partnership is critical.  Our events attract 70% foreigners, we are very strong in New York, we do smaller, more niche events. Every event that we do outside of Jamaica we collaborate.  We have done big festivals in Guadeloup which is French-speaking but we have local partners that handle the language barriers for us. Sometimes the cultural issues are even more challenging than language.  We do a lot of manufacturing in China and we had to learn about the Lunar New year and those cultural practices and adapt our business to that.

 

Q/Jamaica has seen several festivals like Reggae Sumfest, Carnival in Jamaica, Rebel Salute, Calabash, grow in popularity and contribute to Jamaica’s economy – what factors contributed to their success? 

There are 3 things that I would really single out.  Each of those organisations have strong people at the helm that are not just creative, but who understand business, like Tony Rebel and Joe Bogdanovich and Kamal Bankay.  Vision is also very important.  Each of those leaders have a very clear vision of what they want to be. I think the most important thing is perseverance. Being in events space and making it through COVID-19 is no small feat. I always say that when you’re doing events at a major level it’s very different from doing it at a small level.  You might not make any money, but at least you’re not losing money. At the start of COVID we had 20-odd full time staff, and 3 different places that we were paying rent. The uncertainty of it was also challenging as we did not know when it was going to end, at first we thought it would be three months, so we thought we could keep all the staff.  The debt was immense and we are still coming out of it so I really give it up to the leaders who have stayed the course.

 

Q/In your opinion, was Vybz Kartel’s Freedom Street just a one-off event driven by built up demand for a specific artist, or is this a replicable model for Jamaica?

Good question. Well, it’s yes and no. Vybz Kartel, there is something very special about an artist that has defined dancehall culture, been imprisoned for 13 years, and is still the artist at the top of his game. He is an actual representation of global dancehall culture. But the Buju concert has had similar numbers, and so did Burna Boy, Chris Brown, Sumfest too, so it can be replicated.  But for this to scale, you have to have a risk appetite.  You might see 20,000 people in the stadium, but it’s very easy to lose a million US dollars on that event. 

 

Q/Jamaica is known for our music – do you believe that we should focus exclusively on this, or should we diversify our festival offering into food, rum, cannabis, rastafari?

I always say that Dream Weekend is the largest food festival in Jamaica.  It’s all inclusive food, and we have 7000 people per event times eight events, so we are serving 56,000 meals. While people think of Dream as a party festival – food is a very important part of the experience. It’s good to incorporate different parts of the culture into your festival, but unique festivals like Coffee festival, Rum Festival, Curry Festival can also succeed.  Yes, the music is strong, but there are so many parts of our culture that people resonate with all over the world, for example dance.  In the last few years we have worked with popular touring dancers and it’s really worked with them getting additional touring dates from the exposure.  With dance, no one has really done it big yet. Most of the touring dancers hold workshops and micro-events that attract a lot of Europeans.  If someone was to actually bring together a major dancehall dance festival it would be big.

 

Q/ How do you see Jamaica’s festival scene evolving over the next decade, and what steps do you think need to be taken, whether in policy, ecosystem, mindset, talent or infrastructure to ensure that we get there?

Firstly, I think that it is very possible for Jamaica to be that destination and that’s why we went into Dream Entertainment and why most of our partners left corporate jobs to follow this passion. When you go to South Beach or Las Vegas or Ibiza, none of these places have anything over us. Burning Man is in the desert, there is no culture there other than what they build. South Beach wasn’t really a destination until the 80’s.  We actually have a head-start based on how strong our culture is. 

It took trillions of USD to build Vegas, so we need more investment in the culture.  Right now, we see so many other people benefitting more from our culture and making more from our culture than us.  The biggest reggae festivals are not held in Jamaica.  And now other countries have created their own ecosystems around the culture.  You used to have to bring Jamaican artists to Japan to perform, but now they have their own artists and the big festivals in Japan or Europe might only have two or three Jamaicans on the roster.

Jamaican festivals tend to be small, with only a handful at a certain scale, so we need to invest in them. Obviously the government has a part to play, with various regulations and providing the infrastructure for festivals.  We are still building out greenfields, which are high cost or, you’re in the Arena or the National Indoor Sports Centre which are not purpose-built for music. 

We also need to build our talent pipeline, because we export so much of our talent. Sound engineers and lighting engineers are touring, and there are only a handful of these skills available on the island, therefore some of our big events are actually now bringing in these services from overseas. Our music is excellent, but we don’t have enough live music happening. This is Kingston, Jamaica where its a UNESCO Creative City of Music, home of ska, reggae, rocksteady, dancehall… and it’s hard to find live music in Kingston.

The Road Ahead

Jamaica has everything it needs to position itself as a global festival destination—a rich cultural heritage, world-class talent, and an undeniable global brand. But to fully capitalize on this, we need vision, investment, and leadership. The global festival economy is worth billions, and there is no reason why Jamaica shouldn’t claim a bigger share.

The time to build is 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

Creatives of all ages gathered at the Kingston Creative Coworking Space on March 7 for the ‘OGs vs Gen Z’ meetup, an event designed to connect industry veterans with emerging talent. The discussion focused on the evolving creative landscape, access to opportunities, and the role of mentorship in career growth.

The event featured insightful conversations led by industry veteran Vonni Koromanti, a cultural and creative industries consultant, who spoke about the importance of protecting creative work and industry changes over time, while Anna-Lisa Guthrie (Annaixe), a multidisciplinary visual artist, shared her experience working as a multihyphenate and the difficulties faced by up and coming creatives.

 

Koromanti emphasised the importance of knowledge-sharing between generations, stating, “Let us take from both generations—what is good, what is upfull, what is meaningful. Add to it, because I think that is important, own it and improve it while safeguarding our culture.”

Guthrie encouraged creatives to take proactive steps in shaping their careers, saying, “Let this (Creative Meetup) be the catalyst for whatever it is we say we are lacking. Let’s put some real action… to passion.”

 

Attendees also explored a pop-up art exhibition by up-and-coming visual artist Kadine Lindsay, known for her work that examines themes of identity and personal storytelling.

Kingston Creative’s executive director, Andrea Dempster-Chung, highlighted the significance of these intergenerational conversations.

“The creative industry thrives on collaboration. When seasoned professionals and emerging talents come together, it fosters innovation, preserves cultural legacies, and builds a stronger creative economy. That is the community that Kingston Creative seeks to create,” she said.

 

The discussion raised key questions about career advancement in Jamaica’s creative industry—whether veteran artists had greater access to opportunities or if Gen Z is leveraging technology to redefine success.

The event emphasised the need for more structured mentorship in the community.

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 info@kingstoncreative.org. 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