Investing in the Creative Economy: Why Creativity Matters at Island Girls Rock!

Source: Chantal Miller, LinkedIn
Creativity is not an add-on for IGR. It is one of our six foundational pillars, alongside wellness, sustainability, leadership, community service, and joy. Nurturing and supporting our artists is central to who we are, and we show up for our creative community all year round.

We actively seek and create opportunities for our artists to expand their reach and learn across the region. In 2024, funding from the Commonwealth Foundation allowed us to design and curate our first three-month artist development programme in Nevis. Building on that momentum, two of our members were then sponsored by the Caribbean Development Bank to attend CARIFESTA XV in Barbados last year.

That regional exchange continued earlier this year. Following a three-week pottery intensive hosted by the Nevis Historical Conservation Society, five of our members were selected to travel back to Barbados for advanced training under the tutelage of Master Potter Ronaldo Wiltshire.

This same dedication to sustainable craft development carries into our current Summer Creative Series right here in Nevis.

Our lineup features intergenerational and holistic workshops for women and girls learning side by side:

Digital Storytelling: Hosted by Golden Rock Inn and facilitated by Claretta Mills.

Mixed Media Collage Workshop: Coming up later this month at Queen City Nevis, facilitated by Taquetta Lawrence.

Legally Literate Women: Hosted by the Four Seasons Resort Nevis and facilitated by our Board Director, Ayana McCalman. Because creative talent must be backed by structural knowledge, this workshop focuses on intellectual property, invoicing, and contracting. Financial and legal literacy around the craft matters just as much as the craft itself.

Two further workshops are planned for August, and we will share details as soon as registration opens.

This work requires teamwork and community, and we extend our sincere gratitude to our lead partner for the series, The Finished Touch Ltd. Their exceptional support has helped us ensure that our participants have everything they need to fully engage. We also thank the Four Seasons Resort Nevis, Golden Rock Inn, and Queen City Nevis for generously opening their beautiful spaces to host these sessions.

How You Can Support Our Mission:
We are a small team and a registered non-profit. Securing grants is a massive undertaking, and to keep our programming free or low-cost, we rely on collective support.
If your business or organisation is interested in partnering with us through financial sponsorship, in-kind donations, or resource sharing, please get in touch. Your investment directly sustains Caribbean creativity.