This year’s National Independence Festival for Creative Arts (NIFCA) culinary arts competition will be held at a new venue.
NIFCA Producer and Chief Cultural Officer at the National Cultural Foundation, Andrea Wells announced this recently. She explained a new location was selected because the former venue is being renovated.
“The Gymnasium, which has been the location for the culinary arts with the expanded expo and showcase for the last two years is closed for refurbishment and therefore culinary arts moves and joins visual arts and photography at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre.
“As a matter of fact, we will be celebrating the week of November 13 to 19 as NIFCA central, at Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, because there will be five different components of NIFCA that the public will be invited to engage with at this venue during that week.”
Wells also pointed out that during NICFA this year entrants in all disciplines will have an opportunity to be awarded a scholarship to Cuba. Scholarships will be presented to three
individuals from among all entrants.
“The most innovative thing on the calendar for NIFCA in terms of the rules is an introduction of a prize that recognises not only our 50th anniversary of Independence… but also celebrates the cultural cooperation agreement between Barbados and the nation of Cuba for the last 30 years.
“This takes the form of three scholarships being offered for artists of any age who wish to pursue short term or intensive study in their specific discipline in Cuba.
“Cuba has an amazing network of art colleges and art schools and this scholarship allows the persons who win it to actually design their course of study.”
Wells was speaking to the media on the side-lines of last Saturday’s “#Taste of NIFCA” event held in Jubliee Gardens.
At this showcase, members of the public enjoyed performances by the Israel Lovell Drummers; ADL Adrenalin Dancers; spoken word artist, DJ Simmons; dancer, Justin Poleon; singer, Adela Payne; and dramatist, Janine White. The master of ceremonies was Jennifer Walker. (MG)
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