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.
CLICK BELOW TO LEARN MORE ABOUT EACH CATAPULT PROJECT
The CATAPULT Stay Home Artist Residency provided opportunities for 24 cultural practitioners from the English, French, Spanish and Dutch speaking Caribbean to be supported while safely remaining in their studios/work-spaces, each of whom will receive a $3,000 USD stipend to produce work over a two-month period. The programme targeted individuals exploring the critical key themes of culture, human rights, gender, LGBTQIA+, and climate justice which are so relevant to the region.
Using this residency as an opportunity for the growth of their practice, the Stay Home residents have also shared blog posts bi-monthly about the work they have done during the period. This blog will facilitate artists’ reflections on their process and practice while documenting the experience for both their benefit and that of the wider public.
Through the Caribbean Artist Showcase, written, video, or audio features by selected artists are published that can be used to promote the talent and diversity in the region, and to give insight into the work and life of creatives.
This programme seeks to maintain and enhance artists’ visibility, allowing a global audience to be introduced to and support new artists during this period. Each selected artist has received a grant of $500 USD and 41 artists were chosen.
The CATAPULT Lockdown Virtual Salon programme aims to mitigate isolation, especially heightened during the Covid-19 pandemic, by creating virtual platforms for cultural practitioners to engage in discourse about and explore their evolving practices. Each cultural practitioner was paired with a co-discussant for an open conversation about their work. These one-hour artist talks from their homes or studios were live-streamed via the Fresh Milk YouTube Channel at 1PM and 4PM AST, every Tuesday and Friday between September 29th & November 20th, 2020.
The CATAPULT Consultancy Voucher Programme provided professional expertise to artists and cultural practitioners to aid in the development of entrepreneurial potential through their online presence. Thirty-Six (36) artists were each paired with regional experts to set up a website, social media platforms, or online store to increase their ability to conduct e-commerce and market their works globally. Each artist received a $500 USD voucher to facilitate these pairings.
The developed websites, social media accounts, and online stores created are currently promoted across the CATAPULT online platforms.
Through September 2020 to November 2020, 24 free workshops were delivered to 980 Caribbean Creatives, taught by Caribbean experts in their fields. These training sessions taught in Dutch, English, French, and Spanish aimed to fill critical gaps in digital skills training, as well as foster the development of creatives, enhancing their ability to profit in the online space.
Through these online workshops, artists were enabled to develop essential digital knowledge and business skills to better allow them to reach new audiences and markets that, as a result of COVID-19, must now be accessed through digital tools and platforms.
Courses included:
- Digital Marketing for Creatives – Dutch, English
- Ecommerce and Online Sales – Engish
- Project Management for Creatives – English, French, Spanish
- Protecting & Benefiting from your Intellectual Property – English
- Social Media Management for Creatives – Dutch, English, French, Spanish
- Managing Your Money – English
Recordings for the training can be found on the CATAPULT YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjhQ1ybVe12LKv8msLq5BJA
In August 2020, the Caribbean Creative Online component of CATAPULT invites artists to share a recording of a performance, talk, webinar, workshop or other online activity on the platform of their choice. This programme aims to increase artists’ visibility in the online arena, raise their comfort level with performing in the digital space, and support artists financially during the pandemic by allowing them to earn from online activities.
The programme targets individuals exploring the critical key themes of culture, human rights, gender, LGBTQIA+ and climate justice which are so relevant to the region. Each of the 96 artists selected from across the English, French, Spanish and Dutch speaking Caribbean has received a grant of $500 USD.
Works chosen have been posted CATAPULT online platforms, promoted on social media and where possible, published by local media partners.
