Vincymas, St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ premier cultural festival, will retain its largest backer in the National Lotteries Authority (NLA), but organizers will need to adopt a more business-oriented, financially accountable approach to secure the event’s long-term growth, according to the body’s newly appointed chair.
Luann Hadaway, who made history earlier this year as the first woman to lead the NLA board since the organization’s founding in 1984, used the platform of this year’s festival media launch to reaffirm the authority’s long-standing partnership with the annual celebration. Founded to fund national sports and cultural initiatives, the NLA counts its Vincymas sponsorship as its single largest financial commitment, a reflection of the event’s outsized importance to the island nation.
“Our sponsorship is not simply about funding an event, it is about preserving our heritage, strengthening our creative industries and creating real opportunities for our people,” Hadaway told attendees. She emphasized that the NLA’s new board takes its fiduciary responsibility seriously as stewards of public funds, requiring all sponsorship recipients to adhere to strict standards of prudent spending, robust governance and full transparency.
“With that responsibility comes a clear obligation to ensure that every dollar is managed with care, integrity and purpose,” she said. “This is essential, not only for transparency, but for the long-term sustainability and credibility of institutions and events we support.”
Given the scale of the NLA’s investment, Hadaway argued that Vincymas must meet consistent standards of value, impact and operational excellence. Most critically, she said, the festival must be reframed as a year-round business venture rather than a one-off annual celebration, capable of generating consistent revenue to build self-sustaining reserves for future events. This business model, she added, will expand long-term opportunities, deepen private-sector partnerships and foster the financial independence the festival needs to thrive for generations.
Hadaway also pushed for the festival to expand its scope as a launchpad for local talent, calling for greater opportunities for young, emerging creators to perform alongside established industry figures. “It must remain a platform that truly showcases the depth of talent we have right here at home,” she said. “As we continue to invest, we also encourage a shared commitment to excellence, ensuring that Vincymas develops in a way that is sustainable, well organised and impactful for all.”
Beyond celebration, Hadaway noted that Vincymas is a core economic driver for the country, supporting local livelihoods, boosting broader economic activity and nurturing widespread national pride.
Speaking at the same launch event, Minister of Culture and Creative Industries Kaschaka Cupid echoed the message that cultural events like Vincymas deliver meaningful financial benefits to St. Vincent and the Grenadines. He pointed out that the festival has helped local artists earn recognition at the national, regional and international level, and pledged the government’s ongoing support to the Carnival Development Corporation, the state-owned entity tasked with organizing Vincymas.
Cupid also issued a public call for additional corporate sponsors to join the NLA in backing the festival, highlighting the creative sector’s growing role in driving national economic growth. “And I am here as Minister of Culture … to assure you that our government is here to support you, not just financially, but we are going to create opportunities for our artistes to grow and develop their special talents,” he said.
The minister also revealed that he has recently held discussions with Prime Minister Godwin Friday and Minister of Foreign Affairs Dwight Fitzgerald Bramble about a new initiative to deploy cultural ambassadors to promote St. Vincent and the Grenadines on the global stage. Cupid, who noted he had not attended Vincymas for roughly 20 years, said his tenure as culture minister has sparked a new appreciation for the country’s unique cultural heritage, and he plans to attend this year’s event both as a minister and a long-time culture lover.