Minister of Culture and Community Development Michelle Benjamin has announced that Cabinet has approved $2.3 million in funding for 145 unsponsored steelbands across Trinidad and Tobago in preparation for Panorama 2026.
Speaking at Thursday’s Post-Cabinet Media Briefing, she said the financial assistance would help steelbands meet critical preparation costs while ensuring continued support for communities and the preservation of the national instrument.
“This financial assistance will provide $20,000 to each conventional steelband and $10,000 to each single band enabling them to undertake essential activities from chroming of the pans, repairing, purchasing new instruments and, of course, undertaking transportation costs. These grants will benefit steelbands across all regions from east, north, south, central and, of course, Tobago, ensuring that our communities have the resources they need to showcase our national instrument on the greatest stage our cultural calendar presents, our Carnival. This government remains firmly committed to preserving and promoting the steelpan as a cornerstone of our cultural identity, our national heritage. These unsponsored steelbands, they perform duties that sometimes goes unsupported and unannounced. Hence the government took this decision to continue grant support to this organisation.”