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Culture Director clears air on delay in awards for Cultural and Creative Industries Fund
Responding to queries about a projected six-month delay in naming awardees for Department of Social Cohesion of the Ministry of the Presidency Guyana Fund for Cultural and Creative Industries, Culture Director, Tamika Boatswain, yesterday noted that procedures needed to be in place before such a venture is attempted.
Director of Culture, Tamika Boatswain
She said before this is attempted a committee first has to be set up, and approval granted before awardees are named or grants distributed.
She further explained that there has to be a period of verification as well. The committed was newly formed, and the process took longer than expected.
She added that some 28 entries had to be shortlisted and processed to eliminate any bias in selection, and to ensure well deserving individuals get the awards when they are distributed.
Ms Boatswain however admitted that the Ministry may have erred, not properly detailing advertisement, but indicated that in many cases such an initiative can take even up to six months to be properly executed.
She said that since she is not a member of the committee she played no role in decision-making.
Last December, Kaieteur News reported that Cultural Policy Advisor to the Department of Social Cohesion, Ruel Johnson, suggested the initiative to the Department to ensure that young Guyanese know that the local environment would become more conducive to the development of their talents.
The project was added to the Budget 2019 roster and was allocated $20M.
In early March, the government called for submissions from creative entrepreneurs, with original proposals of cultural and creative projects that have already been developed, with well thought out plans for their commercialization and sustainability.
The initiative is currently under the purview of Director of Culture, Tamika Boatswain.
The funding was offered for work across all creative industries; for marketing, distribution, branding and development of new cultural products.
The money was also intended for procurement of equipment; creation of intellectual goods, patents and copyrights; research and designs of innovative local products, like gaming, fashion and animation.
It was noted that focus for funding will be on productions and publications across all creative industries; marketing, distribution and branding of creative products; the development of new cultural products such as festivals; procurement of specialized equipment in support of a particular type of creative production; the creation of intellectual goods, patents and copyrights; and research and designs of innovative new Guyanese products in the creative industries, such as gaming, animation, fashion and condiments/recipes using local content/contexts.
The deadline for the submission of proposals was March 22, 2019.
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