CAF grants US$225,000 for Carifesta XV

The Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF) has approved grant funding of US$225,000 to support the promotion of cultural tourism and the creative economies as Barbados prepares to host Carifesta XV – the Caribbean’s premier multidisciplinary arts festival. In a release, CAF said the letter of award was signed on August 18 at the Carifesta Secretariat by Dr Shantal Munro-Knight, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office with responsibility for culture and Dr Stacy Richards-Kennedy, CAF’s regional manager for the Caribbean and representative in Barbados. Carifesta, which is returning after a six-year absence due to covid19, brings together artists, creators, performers and delegations from across the region to showcase the depth and diversity of Caribbean culture. "The 2025 edition, themed: Caribbean Roots. Global Excellence, will serve as a platform to celebrate the region’s creative industries, which are a vital component of countries’ economies and an engine for sustainable and inclusive growth," the release said. CAF said that this grant signals its continued commitment to expanding the scale of its investment in the creative economy, one of the fastest-growing sectors in Latin America and the Caribbean, and an important source of economic opportunity in the Caribbean. The technical assistance project will support the showcasing of the Caribbean’s distinctive and diverse expressions in food, fashion, music, dance, visual arts and literature. "It will also provide a space for dialogue on the region’s development challenges and opportunities through culture-driven exchanges," CAF said. The multilateral development bank will also serve as the title sponsor for Big Conversations, a new initiative at Carifesta which features relevant dialogues addressing topics of Caribbean identity, resilience and sustainability. "Culture and the diverse forms of cultural expression are at the heart of Caribbean identity. They also represent important drivers of innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as a catalyst for increased regional integration and intercultural exchanges," said Dr Richards-Kennedy. "Carifesta provides an important platform to highlight the richness of Caribbean creativity and demonstrate how the cultural economy expands opportunities across the creative sector. "By supporting this regional festival, CAF is demonstrating its continued commitment to working with our shareholder countries to strengthen the creative industries as drivers of sustainable economic growth. "As a home-grown regional development bank that was born out of a fervent desire to advance regional integration efforts in Latin America and the Caribbean, CAF is particularly pleased that this grant will support the showcasing of cultural ambassadors and creative entrepreneurs from across the Caricom region, Latin America, North America and Africa," she said. In Barbados, CAF has been channelling development financing to support the country’s cultural and heritage tourism projects. This includes investments under the Reclaiming Our Atlantic Destiny (ROAD) Programme, which seeks to strengthen connections to history and cultural assets as part of the country’s broader national development strategy. Carifesta XV will be a ten-day festival that will attract thousands of visitors and participants from the region and beyond. The post CAF grants US$225,000 for Carifesta XV appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.