Kingston, 11 March 2022 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has announced a covid-19 relief programme for registered small companies and umbrella organisations within the Entertainment, Culture and Creative Industries.

The Ministry will be offering grants to entities affected by covid-19.

“The grants will range from a million Jamaican dollars to 400-thousand Jamaican dollars,” said the Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange as she announced the opening of the applications portal on the Ministry’s website here.

Minister Grange said the size of grants to companies and organisations would depend on the entity and the size of the sector they serve.

“Within the sector you have large organisations such as JaRIA, JAVAA, and the Jamaica Federation of Musicians; and you have small business entities say in theatre, in dance, in film that will also be considered for grants.”

To be eligible for grants, companies and organisations must have been in operation prior to the covid-19 pandemic and be able to prove it using company registration documents, tax compliance certificate and event flyer.

The entities must also be signed up to the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport's e-Registry; and must have an account (with any local bank) in Jamaican currency.

The deadline for application is Wednesday, March 17 at midnight.

Minister Grange said:
“It’s a small window… [and] I want to encourage those entities to apply now. We want to provide these funds to you for capacity building, capacity strengthening, and also to provide these small registered entities with funds to restart after the covid devastation…before the end of the financial year.”

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The Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport is inviting Registered Small Companies and Umbrella Organisations operating in the Entertainment, Culture and Creative Industries to apply for ONE-OFF small grants to be used for Institutional strengthening or for working capital to restart their businesses. 

Closing date for applications is Wednesday, March 17 at midnight. 

 Before applying, please ensure that you meet the following criteria: 

• You must have been in operation prior to the covid-19 pandemic and be able to supply evidence such as company registration documents, TCC, copy of event flyer, etc along with your application.

• You must be signed up to the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport's e-Registry.

If you're not signed up to the e-Registry, please sign up here.

Once you've successfully signed up to the e-Registry, you will receive a PDF file in your email.  You will need that file to complete your ECCI Covid-19 Grant application.

• You must have a bank account (with any local bank) in Jamaican currency,

Once you have satisfied the criteria, you can move to filling out the ECCI Covid-19 Grant Application form here.

Should you require any assistance to complete the application process, please call our Covid-19 Grant Hotline at 876-553-0550 or 876-553-0560; or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Kingston, December 5, 2018 – Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport and Chairman of the Jamaica National Commission for UNESCO, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has announced that the Youth Advisory Committee of the Jamaica National Commission for UNESCO has received a grant for US$15,000.

Minister Grange made the announcement at a ceremony during which the Universal Service Fund (USF) handed over laptops and tablets to the Committee on Wednesday at the Ministry’s Trafalgar Road offices.

The grant was given under UNESCO’s Participation Programme.

The Participation Programme functions as a vital complement to UNESCO’s regular activities by analysing, evaluating and facilitating the implementation of national, sub-regional, inter-regional and regional projects submitted by Member States and NGOs directly related to the activities of the organisation.

“Youth is one of the priority areas of the Participation Programme and this grant will equip the Youth Advisory Committee and enhance the work of its programmes,”

Minister Grange said.

In commenting on the donation from the Universal Service Fund, Minister Grange said that it follows representation at all levels in support of the work of the Youth Advisory Committee Secretariat.

“The Secretariat is moving to implement projects towards empowering youth at risk, including young boys between the ages of 5 and 18 who struggle academically; and teenage mothers who need to be steered towards the programmes of the Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation,” Minister Grange added.

The Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation was recognised by UNESCO for helping adolescent mothers to continue their education and was awarded US$50,000 to help further its work.

Kingston, 1 November 2018 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has released the following statement on the passing of the former Jamaican boxer, Bunny Grant. 

Minister’s Statement: 

“I have just received news of the passing of Bunny Grant, the Jamaican boxing pioneer.  Long before Lennox Lewis, before Mike McCallum, before Shrimpy Clarke, there was Bunny Grant.   

We will forever remember his victory over Dave Charnley, the Commonwealth Lightweight Champion, at the National Stadium on August 4, 1962 — just two days before Jamaica’s Independence Day.  The happy impact of that victory on the entire country is a feeling I can never forget. 

Bunny’s passion and humility endeared him to all.  We all followed and celebrated with him throughout his 19 year career.  Each of his victories was a victory for the Jamaican people. 

I am always proud to speak about Bunny Grant, and I was honoured as the Minister to ensure that he was able to spend his final days in comfort. 

We have lost a great champion. 

I offer condolences to his family and friends.” 

In October 2017, Minister Grange presented the former Jamaica boxing champion George ‘Bunny’ Grant with the keys to his newly refurbished home.  The refurbishing project was undertaken by the Sports Development Foundation as part of the Jamaica 55 celebrations.

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