Bocas Lit Fest's Funding Crisis and the State of Arts in Trinidad and Tobago

• The Bocas Lit Fest, the Caribbean’s largest literary event, is facing an existential funding crisis following the withdrawal of its long-term title sponsor, the National Gas Company (NGC).
• Trinidad and Tobago lacks a coherent, sustainable arts funding policy, leaving organizations to rely on inconsistent private sector support and ineffective, opaque state grant systems.
• Marina Salandy-Brown, the festival's founder, warns that without structural reform, including the creation of an independent Arts Council, the nation’s cultural sector will remain unstable and dependent on individual grant-writing efforts.

The Funding Shift

• For 12 years (2012–2023), NGC provided stable, multi-year funding that allowed the festival to nurture local talent and achieve international recognition.
• In 2024, NGC shifted its corporate social responsibility (CSR) focus toward sports, leaving the festival with partial funding; in 2025, it contributed nothing.
• The 2025 festival was produced on a minimal budget, and organizers face a potential re-scaling or cancellation of future editions if new sponsorships are not secured.

Systemic Failures

• State support is minimal and unreliable; the government failed to remit committed 2025 subventions, which represent less than 3 percent of the festival's operating budget.
• The National Lotteries Control Board (NLCB) operates without a clear policy or accessible application process, often distributing small, ineffective grants across many applicants.
• High administrative and compliance costs, coupled with punitive VAT on non-academic books, place additional, unnecessary burdens on cultural NGOs.

Proposed Path Forward

• Establishment of an independent, parliamentary-backed Arts Council to oversee funding according to national priorities.
• Implementation of strict, transparent funding rules to prevent political influence and corruption.
• Introduction of tax incentives for private sector companies that contribute to the central Arts Council.
• Removal of VAT on non-academic books to encourage literacy and support the literary community.