Resilience Fund pays out to creatives affected by Hurricane Melissa

After months of disruption caused by Hurricane Melissa, 38 creative entrepreneurs have received financial support through Kingston Creative’s Resilience Fund, aimed at helping small cultural businesses recover lost income and damaged assets.

Backed by the Miami Foundation, the American Friends of Jamaica and individual donors, the fund provides monthly stipends of $30,000 to help creatives restock materials, replace equipment and offset losses from cancelled engagements, damaged studios and production delays.

Demand has been strong. In December 2025, 516 creatives from Jamaica’s western parishes applied for support. Independent jurors from the Creative and Cultural Industries Alliance of Jamaica selected the first cohort of beneficiaries, which includes musicians, designers and filmmakers, though most recipients are artisans and craft producers.

“Each month, Kingston Creative will be issuing grants, for as long as funding is available, ​as it is a long road to recovery for creatives who need to rebuild their businesses,” said Andrea Dempster Chung, executive director of Kingston Creative.

“We are very grateful for the outpouring of support from the international partners and hope that even more will come onboard. It is our aim that a regional resilience fund can eventually be established to mitigate against future climate events and geopolitical shocks that disproportionately impact our sector.”

Kingston Creative is urging members of the public, corporate partners, philanthropic organisations and the Jamaican diaspora to contribute to the fund.