With a promise to blend rich tradition with modern innovation, the Caribbean Festival of Arts, CARIFESTA XV, was officially launched at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre on Thursday, marking the beginning of what organisers say will be the best edition of the regional arts festival to date.
The launch brought together cultural stakeholders, regional officials and creative leaders, all of whom are promising a fresh take on the festival, while embracing sustainability and technological advancement.
Dr Hilary Brown, programme manager for culture and community development at the CARICOM Secretariat, praised the legacy of CARIFESTA as a platform for regional integration and cultural empowerment.
“CARIFESTA has developed as an important innovation in the regional cultural context. The festival has had great success in terms of its entertainment value and in creating a forum for sharing and exchange among the region’s artists,” she said.
She noted that over its 50-year history, the festival has not only raised public awareness about the value of the arts, but has also contributed to a deeper sense of Caribbean unity.
Referring to the strategic shift made in 2004, Brown highlighted efforts to make CARIFESTA more dynamic and economically viable, including enhanced promotion through digital platforms and a focus on value creation for artists.
Brown said: “It is through the work of our artists, through our directors who are here this week, the Regional Cultural Committee, through the interim festival directorate, the regional management body of CARIFESTA, our ministers of culture, and so many more of our key stakeholders. It is through their advocacy and their commitment to CARIFESTA that enables it to continue to thrive and to remain relevant to the people of the region, through innovations such as scaling up the business component of the festival.”
Carol Roberts, chief executive of the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) and festival director for CARIFESTA XV, outlined the event’s bold push towards environmental sustainability—a first for the festival on such a scale.
“A key pillar for CARIFESTA 15 is our sustainability programming,” Roberts said. “Our proposed initiatives include a green vendor policy where all vendors will be required to use biodegradable packaging; solar powered stations; solar charging hubs at lounge and rest areas at the CARIFESTA Village and Grand Market; an e-waste collection initiative where stations at venues for electronic waste disposal will be installed; a general waste management plan where we will be recycling, among other things, plastics for visual arts projects; carbon emissions reduction, a collaboration with Pickup Barbados for eco-transport and offset strategies.”
Roberts revealed an exciting line-up of activities across music, theatre, fashion, film, culinary arts and wellness. These include four super concerts, nightly tributes to Caribbean icons, daily fashion shows, youth-led programming in a dedicated village, and performances by world-renowned dance companies.
In a nod to the region’s growing global influence, CARIFESTA XV will welcome a contingent from Ghana, showcasing the deepening cultural exchange between the Caribbean and the African continent.
New technology will also have a role to play, with artificial intelligence involved in a number of performances.
Among the most anticipated developments are new purpose-built venues that will serve the island long after the festival has concluded. These include the Richard Stoute Amphitheatre, a new performing arts centre at Newton, Christ Church, and the expansive 45 000-square foot CARIFESTA Village and Grand Market at Waterford.
More than 530 professionals are currently working on the multidisciplinary execution of Carifesta XV, said Roberts, who pledged the festival would create significant economic opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), especially in hospitality, catering and event services.
(SB)
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