New Funding Initiative Announced to Assist Artists and Creative Entrepreneurs Ahead of CARIFESTA

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – The National Cultural Foundation (NCF) of Barbados and the Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank’s (CDB) have announced a partnership aimed at supporting the region’s creative talent ahead of this year’s edition of the Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA) that gets underway here next month.

The CDB through its Cultural and Creative Industries Innovation Fund (CIIF) and NCF said that the CARIFESTA XV Mobility Assistance Grant (MAG) is designed to empower artists and creative entrepreneurs to participate in the August 22 to 31 CARIFESTA that will be held under the theme “Caribbean Roots. Global Excellence”.

The NCF said that it is committed to matching the funds provided by the CIIF and that the joint effort doubles the number of available grants, enabling a total of 20 creative practitioners to receive US$2,500 each.

They said that the funding is intended to cover critical expenses such as airfare, accommodation, ground transport, and shipping of goods, removing significant financial barriers to participation in the region’s premier cultural event.

“This strategic alliance between the NCF and the CDB’s CIIF signals a powerful, unified approach t

“By pooling resources, the two organizations aim to provide tangible support to Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in the creative sector, helping them to scale their operations, access new markets, and forge invaluable cross-border collaborations,” the two organizations said.

NCF chief executive officer, Carol Roberts, said the partnership is “a testament to our shared commitment to the growth and development of the Caribbean’s creative industries.

“By matching the generous contribution from the CDB’s CIIF, the NCF is doubling down on our investment in the region’s artists. We believe that facilitating access to platforms like CARIFESTA is crucial for our creative entrepreneurs to showcase their talents, build their brands, and contribute more robustly to our collective economic diversification.”

The Mobility Assistance Grants are open to officially selected CARIFESTA XV participants from the 19 CDB Borrowing Member Countries (BMCs), operating within the sub-sectors of music, visual arts, fashion and contemporary design, audio-visual, including film, gaming, and animation and festivals and carnivals.

They said that the selection process will prioritize applicants who can demonstrate a clear business case for their participation and a strong potential for growth.

“This partnership with the NCF is a perfect embodiment of our mission to enable the region’s CI sector to become globally competitive. It is a targeted, impactful intervention that will benefit creative MSMEs, which are a significant part of the region’s cultural and creative sector,” said CIF Fund Coordinator, Malene Joseph.

“We are not just providing funding; we are bridging the gaps between opportunity and action. We are investing in the future of Caribbean creativity and fostering a more integrated and resilient regional market.”