CHASE Fund to provide financial assistance to entertainment industry

Players in the entertainment industry who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic are set to benefit from financial assistance from the CHASE Fund.

CHASE chief executive office W. Billy Heaven says $150 million has been set aside for this facility in the current financial year.

Heaven says the initiative prioritises individuals and organisations who need funding support for entertainment projects.

“It is our hope that the CHASE Entertainment Industry Support Initiative (CEISI) funding for entertainment-related projects will help drive productivity toward pre-COVID-19 levels of activity,” he said.

He says funding will be considered for the sponsorship of entertainment events; music and film production; institutional support to cultural (entertainment) organisations; minor repairs to facilities that house artistic and cultural (entertainment) activities; and support for educational and training programmes for practitioners toward the development of talent and skills in the areas of arts and culture.

Latoya Aquart-Foster, project manager for the fund, points out that the initiative is open to individual Jamaican entertainment practitioners and Jamaican entertainment organisations that must have been in operation prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and must be able to provide evidence of activity such as company registration documents, event flyers, print and electronic media stories highlighting events.

Aquart-Foster says applicants must be registered with the e-Registry of the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport.

Information and application forms are provided on the CHASE Fund website: chase.org.jm.

Information gathered from applicants will be used to support impact assessments and better inform future sector initiatives.

Eligibility requirement

1. The initiative is open to individual Jamaican entertainment practitioners and Jamaican entertainment organisations.

2. Applicants must have been in operation at least two years before the COVID-19 pandemic and possess evidence of same through company registration documents, TCC, copy of event flyer, newspaper/media articles/features, etc.

3. Applicant must be a registered member of the MCGES e-Registry. To sign up for the e-Registry, please use the following link httpsi/www.mcges.gov.jm/eregistry/registration.

4. Only projects that can realistically be completed by March 31, 2023, will be considered.

How to apply

To apply, follow the steps outlined below:

1. Visit the website http://www.chose.org.jm to learn more about the programme and to access the application form. Only online applications will be accepted.

2. Click on 'Apply to CHASE' tab.

3. Select the tab Entertainment Industry Support Initiative 2022/23 and follow the guidelines provided.

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