2 months ago
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Belize is sending a 13-member delegation to the 15th staging of the Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA XV), taking place in Barbados from August 22-31, 2025. CARIFESTA is the largest arts festival in the Caribbean. The festival gives the delegates the opportunity to showcase Belizean excellence as well as network with regional partners for advancement opportunities. The delegation is being led by Director of the Institute of Creative Arts Kim Vasquez, who will be accompanied by Belizean musicians, artisans and fashion designers. She spoke on the importance of attending the event earlier today.
Kim Vasquez, Director, Institute of Creative Arts: “We are focusing on three areas. We’re focusing on fashion design, Handmade by Belize which is an initiative that NICH launched earlier this year in February actually that speaks to the development of handicraft and handmade designs and we’re also focusing or participating in the area of music. We’re taking with us Chico Ramos, a living legend. Chico will be performing of course there on one of the various lineups that they have at the CARIFESTA but Chico we also submitted for him for something that CARIFESTA this year is having called Icons of the Caribbean where they are recognizing icons in different areas in film, in visual arts, and he is being recognized in the area called “Born of the Rhythm” So he will be on a concert where icons who have contributed to indigenous musical forms are performing. So that is something special that Chico is going to be doing. It is a full lineup of activities. We are participating in the parade of countries for the opening ceremony and we’re really looking forward to not only the capacity building, the training but also the exchange of ideas. We’re going out there as I said we are a delegation of thirteen and we’re going out there to put Belize on the regional and global stage but we also want to learn and network with our counterparts across the Caribbean.”
A key component of Belzie’s representation will be the Handmade by Belize initiative The project which was launched in February by the National Institute of Culture and History, is focused on capacity building, export opportunities, and market access for artisans. Curator of the project Gilvano Swasey is also among the delegates.
Gilvano Swasey, Curator, Handmade by Belize: “My main focus here is not just to showcase the art but CARIFESTA affords you an opportunity where you liaise with other artists and artisans but most importantly we’re at a stage now where many things are happening in the world. We’re part of CARICOM of course but I don’t think we have taken it as an advantage. Fortunately I had actually had contact with the mother of the Prime Minister Mrs.Mottley, I had contact with her when her husband was a judge here in Belize and she had a great interest in somehow connecting Belize with Barbados. They’re a small island and so resources are very limited and when she had visited the Image Factory and when she walked around and saw the artisans doing stuff out of zericote, mahogany, conch shell, jippi jappa baskets, clay and everything she was very very much amazed and excited to see how somehow we can help the industry there and also make some connections. So that’s what I’m looking where our artists can get a better input and export of their product but also making that connection that makes us very unique.”
Belize will also have a national booth at the CARIFESTA Grand Market & Trade Hub./
English (US) ·