KINGSTON, Jamaica — Kingston Creative has become the first non-governmental organisation in the Caribbean to receive funding under the UNESCO-Aschberg Programme for Artists and Cultural Professionals.

According to a release, Kingston Creative was one of just 16 organisations selected from 1,068 applications worldwide in 2026. The grant will fund the Caribbean Artist Resilience & Empowerment (CARE) Programme, an 18-month regional initiative aimed at strengthening the rights, economic security, mobility and disaster preparedness of artists and cultural professionals in Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

The programme will begin in Jamaica before expanding to Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados.