photo credit: VOU Fiji
The Pacific Community (SPC) has announced the first recipient of the Enhancing the Capacity of Cultural and Creative Industries in the Pacific Grant Scheme.
VOU Fiji has been awarded FJD450,000 to support inclusive and sustainable livelihoods for Fiji’s women and youth. VOU Fiji is a dance school based in Nadi, Fiji. VOU (meaning new in iTaukei), delivers traditional storytelling through contemporary dance and music, using the media as a platform to share these stories. This approach to traditional storytelling has become the company’s signature feature.
Co-founder and Managing Director Sachiko Soro said the grant was well timed. “This grant will provide employment for 100 youths in the culture and creative industries. It is very timely especially with the impacts of COVID-19 on the tourism industry,” she said.
Through the grant scheme, VOU Fiji will provide 40 Diploma scholarships for young Fijians. The first cohort of students officially began their programme in June 2022. The grant will also enable a senior member of VOU Fiji to undertake postgraduate studies in dance at the University of Auckland. Additionally, six high quality shows will be choreographed and staged; providing opportunities for up to 100 creative industry jobs by the end of 2022.
The ACP-EU Cultural and Creative Industries Grant Scheme is a three-year initiative made possible with the financial contribution of the European Union and support of the Secretariat of the Organization of Africa, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS). The grant scheme is jointly implemented by the Pacific Community (SPC) and the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and is open to the 15 Pacific-ACP member countries including Timor Leste.
The third call for proposals will be announced in September 2022.
Media contact(s):
For more information, contact [email protected]
For general media enquiries, please contact [email protected]
About SPC:
The Pacific Community has been supporting sustainable development in the Pacific, through science, knowledge and innovation since 1947. It is the principal intergovernmental organisation in the region, owned and governed by its 27 member countries and territories. www.spc.int
Follow SPC News | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube and subscribe to SPC's Newsletter
