Kingston Creative collaborates on mural project in St Vincent and the Grenadines

Regional collaboration between Kingston Creative, Rainforest Caribbean and the Ministry of Culture in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) has culminated in ‘We Are Calliaqua’, a vast public mural in the Eastern Caribbean.

Measuring 4.85 feet high by 395 feet wide (1,915.8 square feet), the work spans one of the community’s most visible walls. It celebrates SVG’s cultural heroes, athletes and national icons.

The mural, commissioned by Rainforest Caribbean, led by Jamaican businessman Brian Jardim, was unveiled on May 25 at the Calliaqua Playing Field in Arnos Vale before a crowd of residents, children, cultural leaders and invited guests. 

Jamaican artist Anthony ‘Taoszen’ Smith, winner of the 2025 Royal Caribbean Artist Award, led the project, supported by Vincentian artists Carlique Craigg, Christine Browne, Julaé Ross and Kristopher Simmons. Pros Paints and Sherwin-Williams SVG provided material support, while the Ministry of Culture, led by Minister Laverne Gibson-Velox, who conceived the project, served as public-sector partner and played a central role in artist selection and community engagement.

Minister Gibson-Velox hailed the work and its creators as nothing short of genius. 

“To the geniuses, Kingston Creative and the Vincentian artists, who toiled tirelessly on this exquisite mural, I thank you for your talent and the little touches that we appreciate so much. Your attention to our culture warms our hearts. Your attention to detail in depicting the East St George Community is mind-boggling. From our heroes, the flora and fauna, the fishing nets and the beautiful fish that make our bay their habitat to the petroglyphs and the Calliaqua Anglican Church, every stroke of your brushes epitomised the essence of our Constituency,” Gibson-Velox said.

“Your love for art was truly expressed in this mural. It is a masterpiece to be enjoyed for many years to come. Thank you Kingston Creative and thank you Rainforest for breathing life into a dream for improving the aesthetic of East St George. Our pride in our mural is immense."

Rendered in bold colours drawn from the national palette and the vivid tones of the Caribbean, the mural is designed to be both striking and accessible — an expression, Kingston Creative says, of identity on a scale that cannot be ignored.

"At Rainforest Caribbean, we have always believed that our success is inseparable from the health and vibrancy of the communities we serve,” said Brian Jardim, chief executive officer of Rainforest Caribbean. “This mural at Calliaqua is more than colour on a wall; it is a statement of pride, belonging and our long-term commitment to St Vincent and the Grenadines. We are honoured to have partnered with Minister Gibson-Velox and the people of East St George to bring this vision to life.”

“When we heard about this project, we immediately offered to come onboard as a sponsor,” said Roland Samuel, chief executive of Pros Paints. “We wanted to make sure that this artwork is vibrant and inspiring for years to come.”

Smith, the lead designer, has previously worked on landmark murals at Sabina Park, Water Lane in Kingston’s art district, and in Curaçao. He conceived the design before travelling to SVG to oversee its execution.

“This wall now belongs to Calliaqua. Every child who walks past it will see someone who looks like them, who came from here, and who made something of themselves. That is the most powerful thing art can do,” Smith said.

The collaboration, bringing together Jamaican and Vincentian artists, was itself part of the statement, reflecting a model of regional creative exchange that Kingston Creative hopes will spur further partnerships across the Caribbean.

“We are particularly proud of this mural project, as it represents the kind of regional collaboration we imagined when we founded Kingston Creative nine years ago. Through this partnership with Rainforest Caribbean, we leveraged a truly collaborative model for delivering impactful public art across the islands,” said Allan Daisley, co-founder and chairman of Kingston Creative. “We have done murals in Haiti and Curacao, but seeing this wall come alive in the country where I was born makes this one extra special.”

Beyond the mural, Rainforest Caribbean donated art supplies to the St Vincent and the Grenadines Community College and funded a capacity-building workshop and career talk for emerging artists. The session covered large-format mural design, surface preparation, paint application and the translation of digital concepts into physical works.

The workshop was led by Smith, with support from Shanique Stewart, visual arts development officer in the Ministry of Culture. Stewart, a graduate of the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, has produced two public murals in Jamaica, in partnership with Kingston Creative.

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