Minister of the Creative Economy, Culture and Sports, John King (left) as he presented Anya Stephen with the Central Bank Purchase Award. Stephen also won the Best Depiction of Theme Award for ‘Anecdote’.
The Barbados National Art Gallery finally has a home.
Block A at the Garrison Savannah has been identified as the new location for the facility and its collections of local and regional works.
Making the announcement on Saturday, Minister of the Creative Economy, Culture and Sports, John King, however said funds were needed to outfit the building and urged the general public to get involved in the venture.
Delivering the feature address at the Central Bank’s Crop Over Visual Arts Village and Art Walk at the Grand Salle at the Central Bank, he said that once renovations were completed, the government-owned exhibition space would be accessible to local artists.
“We expect that this would result in an increased number of galleries available to our artists. We also hope that it would in turn lead to an increased number of exhibitions held throughout the year. Furthermore, the accommodation for the Barbados National Art Gallery would allow for the employment of the relevant staff, which is necessary for the effective functioning of the gallery,” he said.
Insisting that interest in the sector could not grow unless there was awareness, King said the sensitisation efforts of the public on the importance of art and culture would continue.
To push this, as well as to encourage the youth to get involved in the industry, the minister noted government’s commitment to facilitating the production and promotion of a 52-week calendar for arts, entertainment and sports.
“It will also showcase the work of Barbados’ local chefs, mixologists and baristas. Those of you who had attended the Crop Over Heritage Tour, entitled ‘Rum and Sweet Food’, would have seen some of our local chefs and tasted their cuisine. My ministry is in the process of designing and producing this calendar,” he said. (JMB)