Kickin It Marks Decade of Creative Work With Summit and New Grant Programme

Hundreds of creatives from the Caribbean and beyond convened at Long Bay Beach Resort over the weekend for a two-day celebration of Kickin It's tenth year in operation.

The retreat blended professional development with creative and wellness programming. On Saturday, the Creative Summit offered masterclasses and conversations centred on wellness, culture, technology and building sustainable businesses without exhaustion. Sunday's schedule shifted to hands-on activities: cultural crafts, movement sessions, guided journalling and sports.

The gathering drew participants from across the region and internationally, including DJ Puffy from Barbados, Jamaican content creator Rushane "RushCam" Campbell, CultureCon founder Imani Ellis, creative philosopher DonYé Taylor, filmmakers Nyaila Callwood and Khalarni Rivers, and musician Marvelus "Swanks" Williams.

Founder Kyra James described the organisation's roots: "Ten years ago, Kickin It started with a simple vision to showcase Virgin Islands pride and create space for local creators."

The event also introduced The Flow State Fund, a new initiative to support Virgin Islands creatives through micro-grants aimed at helping artists advance their work. The organisation said it will name the first recipients within the coming week.