Media WriterKingston Creative is set to receive J$1 million from Blue Mahoe Capital Inc, an impact investment company based in Miami, Florida. The funding is part of Blue Mahoe’s outreach to arts and entertainment businesses in the Caribbean, in which it aims to build capacity.
The first investment goes to Kingston Creative; a Jamaican NGO whose mission is to transform Kingston into the creative capital of the Caribbean. It already has implemented 65 street art murals, created signature art festival events like the Artwalk, trained over 4000 creatives and opened two arts spaces including the Creative Hub at 107 Harbour Street, Downtown Kingston.
“Many creatives have expressed to us the devastating effect of lockdown on their businesses, including widespread loss of income and layoffs across the cultural and creative industries, so this funding comes at a critical time. It helps us to keep creatives employed on arts projects like Paint the City and the Artwalk,” said Kingston Creative’s Executive Director, Andrea Dempster Chung.
Prior to the contribution from Blue Mahoe Capital, the non-profit had a target to raise $20 million JMD from the Diaspora, to provide matching financing for 30 more murals in the Downtown Kingston Art District and developmental programmes for creatives like Createch, which is partially funded under a 3-year $1.295 million USD agreement with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
“The creative industries remain a priority for the Blue Mahoe team and we believe that businesses in the Caribbean with this focus should be supported. The products and services are an authentic representation of the people. We support the movement wholeheartedly,” says Vice President of Sport and Entertainment, Carole Beckford.
Blue Mahoe’s CEO David Mullings has provided voluntary service to the organisation and helped to shape their strategy, as he currently sits on the Kingston Creative’s Global Advisory Board.
