Creative professionals encouraged to fully utilise remaining RM6.1 mln in MTCP’s heritage, arts, culture fund

Snowdan speaks to reporters at the At Adau ‘Sada Rimba Oceana-Asia Tour 2024’ press conference held at Baitul Makmur II Building in Kuching on June 28, 2024.

By Ashley Sim

KUCHING, June 28: The Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts’ (MTCP) Facilitation Fund for Heritage, Arts, and Culture has utilised only RM3.8 million out of the RM10 million allocated for the year, leaving a balance of RM6.1 million.

MTCP Deputy Minister Datuk Snowdan Lawan has called on creative industry professionals to apply for the remaining funds to ensure they are fully utilised by year-end.

“There are still a few months remaining, so I encourage those interested in requesting funds for programmes to do so, as we have a significant balance of RM6.1 million.

“Basically, yearly, the government approves approximately RM10 million for the Facilitation Fund,” he said at the At Adau ‘Sada Rimba Oceana-Asia Tour 2024’ press conference held today at the Baitul Makmur II Building here.

The minister went on to say that the grant caters to a diverse range of activities, including music production, craft, media, and TV production.

“For instance, production houses aiming to create documentaries about Sarawak’s food, culture, or tourist attractions are eligible for support.

“The initiative seeks to generate a wealth of content that can be broadcasted on TV, thereby promoting Sarawak’s heritage,” he added.

Snowdan also stated that the grant is open to applications from five main categories and 19 subcategories of the creative industries.

The categories are: Creative Arts (music, visual art, performing arts, and literary arts); Arts, Culture, and Heritage (culinary/gastronomy, craft, and both tangible and intangible heritage); Media Production (film, television, radio, and digital media); Design (fashion, architecture, interactive design, graphic design, and interior design); and Information Technology (software, computer games, and animation).

For more information on how to apply for the grant, interested parties are encouraged to visit https://mtcp.sarawak.gov.my/.

Also present at the press conference was MTCP principal assistant secretary of the Arts, Culture, and Heritage section, Dr Elena Gregoria Chai Chin Fern. — DayakDaily