CATAPULT New COVID-19 Arts Grant Supports 1,175 Creatives in 25 Caribbean Countries

 

 In early August, three nonprofit organisations launched a new $320,000 USD Covid-19 emergency relief programme targeting artists, creatives and cultural practitioners across the Caribbean. This pioneering pan-Caribbean NGO partnership was led by the American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ), Kingston Creative and Fresh Milk, located in New York, Kingston and Bridgetown.  The programme was entitled “CATAPULT”, and indeed it has served to propel creatives in the region forward. 

The grant opportunities were:

1. Digital Creative Training

2. Caribbean Creative Online

3. Caribbean Artist Showcase 

4. Consultancy Vouchers

5. Lockdown Virtual Salon

6. Stay Home Artist Residency

The response to the initial open call for these six areas was overwhelming.  The programme was oversubscribed by 71% as 405 applications were received for a possible 236 places.   A total of 215 people received grants and an additional 960 people registered for the free Digital Creative Training offered in IP, Digital Marketing, E-commerce and Accounting bringing the total number of beneficiaries to 1,175 and rising. Training is offered in multiple languages and workshops extend through November 2020. Creatives across the Caribbean can still register for future Digital Creative workshops using the link: bit.ly/catapult-workshop.

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This grant bridges the gap and while compensating awardees for their work, the grant also encourages the creation and online dissemination of work that highlights issues related to culture, human rights, gender, LGBTQIA+, and climate justice which are critical themes for the Caribbean.

The public can now look forward to meeting creatives whose work will be shown online on the online platforms of AFJ, Kingston Creative and Fresh Milk. One of the primary goals that the partners set out to accomplish, was to nurture and encourage creatives affected by COVID-19, reigniting the dreams and hopes of artists and artisans by giving them a grant to produce work and a platform to showcase their work to a wide audience.

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The programme also employs a number of arts professionals as jurors, critics and consultants to aid in executing the programme.  

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An inadvertent benefit of the CATAPULT Caribbean Arts Grant is that it shines a spotlight on the amazing talent that exists in the Caribbean region and connects these artists in new ways. The public is invited to stay tuned as new creative talks, online performances, e-commerce sites and artworks are promised to be delivered online up to December 2020.

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ABOUT THE PARTNERS

 

American Friends of Jamaica | The AFJ has a near 40-year history of funding charitable organizations in Jamaica in the fields of Education, Healthcare and Economic Development. A registered 501 (c) 3 non-profit headquartered in New York City, AFJ relies on individual and corporate contributions made by donors who believe in our work and will advocate on our behalf. Part of the AFJ's mission is to facilitate donor directed contributions which enable donors to support registered charitable organizations aligned with their own goals for philanthropy.

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Kingston Creative is a registered non-profit arts organization founded in February 2017 and based in Kingston, Jamaica. Its mission is to enable creatives to succeed so that they can create economic and social value, gain access to global markets and have a positive impact on their community.  

 

Fresh Milk is an organisation whose aim is to nurture, empower and connect Caribbean artists, raise regional awareness about contemporary arts and provide global opportunities for growth, excellence and success. Fresh Milk supports excellence in the visual arts through residencies and programmes that provide Caribbean artists with opportunities for development and foster a thriving art community.

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Read the press release here.

 

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