[Many thanks to Veerle Poupeye for bringing this item to our attention in Critical.Caribbean.Art.] Gleaner reports on Kingston Creative’s new sponsored travel program:
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 Program, which will facilitate visits to overseas markets by six creative entrepreneurs between August 2022 and December 2023. This year, three creators from Jamaica will participate in creative forums and festivals in Mexico, Haiti and Curacao respectively.
Artists participating in this year’s program are musician Kenardo Ellis and visual artists Anthony Smith and Matthew McCarthy. They will be part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Forum in Querétaro, Mexico, the Kaya Kaya Festival in Curaçao and the Festi Graffiti Festival in Haiti.
Andrea Dempster Chung, executive director of Kingston Creative, noted that travel is essential for Caribbean artists. “Not only does it inspire 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 links in other regions of the world. This is a very exciting program and a big part of what we’re doing is giving creators access to income opportunities that they wouldn’t normally get.”
Roots and jazz artist Kenardo Ellis, known professionally as ‘Ken Ellis’, hails from New Hall District, Manchester and studied at the Edna Manley College of Visual and Performing Arts. “This is a great opportunity for creators looking to expand their reach. This integration will bring more diverse opportunities to enhance our creative culture and foster collective partnership between creators from different parts of the world. I am more than grateful and honored to be a part of this initiative.”
Ken has infused his unique sound along with inspirations from Al Green, Ray Charles, Burning Spear and Bob Marley to create a soulful style of singing and performing. A former lead singer of the 6Points Band, with whom he also played, his contemporary blend of classic soul and reggae has created a unique sound, resonating with both mature and youthful musical ears.
“The travel grant makes perfect sense for an emerging creative scene like Jamaica,” said Matthew McCarthy. “Kingston Creative realized that people want to connect and there are many opportunities to do so if things are coordinated well. I am very grateful for this aspect. The grant helps make these connections smoother.” McCarthy is a multimedia and installation artist. His work is influenced by the aesthetics of Jamaican music culture, particularly reggae and vintage dancehall. His appreciation for the visual forms that emerge from that realm has provided a touchpoint to express his messages in a style that feels familiar to his island home of Jamaica.
Anthony ‘Taoszen’ Smith began his career as an external design advisor and consultant for Crowe Global, gaining experience in the design space by establishing himself as a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary creative. He is a muralist, fine artist and graphic designer who uses his creative vision and passion to explore and comment on philosophies of self, culture and the environment. “I am humbled to be a part of Kingston Creative’s first travel grant. It is a wonderful thing to see what a collaboration of shared values and interests can do for the creative economy at the national level. Great things are in store,” stated Smith, who has worked on some of Jamaica’s largest murals, namely the nation’s tallest and tallest mural at the Carib Cement plant in silo #10 and the Sabina Park mural.
[Shown above: Matthew McCarthy, Kenardo Ellis, and Anthony ‘Taoszen’ Smith.]
For the original article, see https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/entertainment/20220811/kingston-creative-launches-new-travel-programme-creatives
