New initiative aims to unlock investment, guide policy, and support artists across the island
Kingston, Jamaica — A major new effort is underway to collect crucial data on Jamaica’s cultural and creative industries (CCI). The Cultural and Creative Industries Alliance of Jamaica (CCIAJ), a lobby group started in 2000 by several industry associations including Kingston Creative, the Jamaica Film & Television Association (JAFTA), Jamaica Animation Network (JANN), the Book Industry Association of Jamaica (BIAJ), Montego Bay Creative Arts Network (MCAN) and others. The CCIAJ has launched a Creative Industries Survey, aimed at mapping the size, scope, and economic value of Jamaica’s vibrant creative sector. The survey is part of an independent push by the creatives themselves to collect data on the creative economy and support the build out of a more structured ecosystem supporting increased access to funding, strategic resources, and business support.
“Jamaica’s artists, musicians, filmmakers, designers, and other creatives are among the most talented in the world – but we need current and accurate data to quantify their contribution, identify needs, and create the conditions for proper investment”, said Andrea Dempster Chung, Executive Director of Kingston Creative and co-Chair of CCIAJ. “Without data, we’re invisible in national business statistics and excluded from economic planning and critical funding decisions. After seeing other countries moving ahead and making data-driven investments in their creative sector, we decided that it was time to formally launch this initiative”.
The survey is designed to reach hundreds of creative professionals, from street artists in Downtown Kingston to artisans in Montego Bay, dancers in Portmore, and musicians in Spanish Town. It asks about income, employment, access to capital, technology, and markets, and will be used to deliver a solid analysis of the value of the industry.
Global Models Show the Power of Creative Data
The CCIAJ’s move reflects a global trend: countries that invest in data collection for the creative industries see higher growth, more investment, and better policy outcomes. In the United Kingdom, the government’s classification and measurement of the creative industries recently helped to launch a new ten-year plan to boost the UK creative sector and “make the UK”. The plan unlocks a £150 million creative places growth fund, £50 million for R&D, £25 million for 5 new creative workspaces and 2 new showcasing spaces for the arts, supporting everything from video game development to music exports.
In South Africa, a similar cultural mapping project by the Department of Arts and Culture revealed that the sector contributes over R63 billion (approx. US$3.5B) to GDP — data that helped secure private sector and international investment. While closer to home In Colombia, detailed data on cultural employment and enterprise allowed the government to launch the Orange Economy initiative, with tailored financing products and tax incentives for creative businesses. As a result, creative startups have attracted both domestic and foreign investment, and cities like Bogotá have emerged as regional creative hubs.
Data Enables Capital to Reach Creatives
For many creatives in Jamaica, access to capital remains a significant challenge. Banks and investors often hesitate to lend or invest without reliable industry data or clear business metrics. “With this independent survey, we are laying the foundation for partnerships to develop innovative creative financing tools from grants and low-interest loans to investment readiness programmes”, said Latoya West-Blackwood, former Chair of the Book Industry Association of Jamaica and Co-Chair of CCIAJ. “We want creative practitioners to be seen not just as passionate and talented artists, but as entrepreneurs and innovators who make measurable contributions to national development and GDP”.
The initiative also supports Jamaica’s Vision 2030 and aligns with the global UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, which calls for countries to strengthen their creative data systems.
How to Participate
Creative professionals, freelancers, workers and businesses across Jamaica are encouraged to participate in the survey by visiting bit.ly/CCIAJSurvey. The survey is open to all disciplines – including visual arts, music, dance, film, fashion, craft, theatre, advertising, content creation, books, animation, and more – and takes less than 10 minutes to complete.
“This is about visibility, empowerment, and investment”, said Dempster Chung. “If we want the world to take our creative economy seriously, we must first count ourselves”.
