The full title of this article shared by by Kingston Creative is “’WE ARE CALLIAQUA’: Rainforest Caribbean Unveils 400 ft Mural in Saint Vincent & the Grenadines.” A mural celebrating the cultural and community heroes of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is now part of Calliaqua’s landscape. The mural was created by Jamaican muralist Anthony ‘Taoszen’ Smith, the lead design artist, with Vincentian artists Christine Browne, Carlique Craigg, Julaé Ross, and Kristopher Simmons.
On Monday evening, the walls of the Calliaqua Playing Field came alive. In front of a crowd of community members, children, cultural leaders, and distinguished guests, Rainforest Caribbean officially unveiled “We Are Calliaqua” – a monumental public mural stretching nearly 400 feet along one of the community’s most visible walls, and now one of the largest public murals in the Eastern Caribbean, delivered in partnership with Kingston Creative.
“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, CEO, 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.”
The work, spanning 1,915.8 square feet of the playing field’s boundary wall, depicts the cultural heroes of St. Vincent and the Grenadines; musicians, community figures, athletes, and icons. It is executed in bold colour drawn from the national palette and the vivid tones of the Caribbean environment, and it is a celebration of the island’s identity painted at a scale impossible to ignore.
Partners and Sponsors
The “We Are Calliaqua” mural was the brainchild of Minister Laverne Gibson-Velox and was made possible through the generous investment and support of Rainforest Caribbean, Kingston Creative, Pros Paints, Sherwin-Williams SVG, and the Ministry of Culture, St. Vincent and the Grenadines who played a key role in artist selection and community engagement. [. . .]
A Cross-Caribbean Act of Cultural Solidarity
The “We Are Calliaqua” project was implemented by Kingston Creative, Jamaica’s leading arts organisation. Based in Downtown Kingston, they have nearly a decade of experience delivering landmark mural and creative placemaking projects and capacity-building programmes for creatives.
Lead design artist Anthony ‘Taoszen’ Smith is the winner of the Royal Caribbean Artist Award (2025) and the creative force behind landmark murals including Sabina Park, Water Lane in the Kingston Art District, and the largest mural in Curaçao. He designed this mural and then travelled to St. Vincent to lead the execution of the work. He was joined by four accomplished artists whose individual practices and deep roots in SVG’s creative community shaped the finished work. The supporting artists are Carlique Craigg, Christine Browne, Julaé Ross, and Kristopher Simmons; four Vincentian creatives selected in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, each bringing their distinct artistic voice to the collaborative 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,” commented the lead artist, Anthony ‘Taoszen’ Smith.
The seamless collaboration between artists from Jamaica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines was itself a statement. It reflects a model of Caribbean creative exchange that Kingston Creative hopes will inspire future cross-island artistic partnerships across the region. [. . .]
Project at a Glance
- Mural Title: “We Are Calliaqua”
- Location: Calliaqua Playing Field, Arnos Vale, St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Scale: 4.85 ft (h) × 395 ft (w) — 1,915.8 Square Feet
- Lead Artist: Anthony ‘Taoszen’ Smith
- Supporting Artists: Carlique Craigg, Christine Browne, Julaé Ross, Kristopher Simmons
- Commissioned by: Rainforest Caribbean
- Implemented by: Kingston Creative
- Supported by: Pros Paints | Sherwin-Williams SVG
- Public Sector Partner: Minister Velox & Ministry of Culture, SVG
[Shown above, photo by IslandRebelMedia: 1) Highly acclaimed Jamaican Anthony “Taozen” Smith, was the lead artist on the mural “We Are Calliaqua” unveiled in St. Vincent and the Grenadines this week. 2) Detail from the mural.]