Trevon at Soca Monarch 2017.(Nerissa Golden Photo)

CDB Allocates USD100k For Creative Industry Losses Due to COVID-19

In light of the loss of revenue by creative industry (CI) practitioners due to the effects of COVID-19, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has allocated USD 50,000 for the Music sub-sector and USD 50,000 for the Festivals and Carnivals sub-sector for CIIF Emergency Relief Grants. This grant will range from USD 2,500 to USD 20,000 each and is targeted at CI entrepreneurs who can demonstrate loss of income for music, festival and carnival events that have been cancelled as a result of COVID-19.

This grant is to be used for one of the following:

  • Product development: to produce an online/virtual product or event on an existing platform external to CDB, that leads to revenue generation.
  • Market distribution & channelling:  to on board and promote new Caribbean content from emerging and established producers through existing regional and international electronic platforms.
  • Digital disruptive technologies for music & festivals and carnivals: to support the further development of an existing electronic solution that will facilitate revenue generation through online CI showcases, exchanges and performances.

Projects should be community oriented where possible with a percentage of funds raised going towards associations of health care workers or sanitation workers or registered charities.

Eligible project costs include expenses incurred facilitating stakeholder consultations, workshops and seminars, technical work, marketing and distribution; research including development of knowledge products for CIs; or new CI products and services and institutional strengthening activities.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?

  • Eligible beneficiaries must be MSME business owners with registered businesses who are not employed with established institutions, that is, are not salaried employees of an established institution.
  • Business owners must be CI practitioners in Music or Festivals and Carnivals, however CI practitioners may have partners in other CIIF Priority sub-sectors including Audio-Visual, Visual Arts and Fashion & Contemporary Design.
  • Entities that have already received grants under CIIF are not eligible to apply.
  • Organisations applying must be resident in one of the Caribbean Development Bank’s 19 Borrowing Member Countries: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands.

WHEN WILL THE GRANTS BE AWARDED?
Grants will be awarded by the end of the second quarter of 2020. An evaluation panel will screen all submissions; however only shortlisted applicants will be notified.

To participate in this programme, practitioners are asked to read the call document and complete the online application form by May 20, 2020.

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