Deacons Primary School choir performing “A Tribute to Gabby”, which won them a NIFCA prize last night.
Juniors participating in the National Independence Festival of Creative Arts (NIFCA) will once again have their special night.
Yesterday, the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) launched NIFCA 2016 – I’m Possible Sagicor Juniors Night at Deacons Primary School.
Chief Cultural Officer at the NCF, Andrea Wells, recalled that about three years ago the NCF wanted to celebrate the fact that about 80 per cent of participation across all disciplines at NIFCA comes from the schools, especially primary schools.
“There was a misperception that the juniors competed for the same prizes or at the same criteria as the adults in the competition – it has never been so. A junior gold is understood to be quite different from a senior gold, because it is not really fair to compare junior achievement to adult or professional achievement,” she explained.
“We thought a way of bringing greater focus to those who have always been a part of NIFCA, is to give them their special night. From its inception, it has always been the most popular night in the NIFCA finals – it is always sold out… I believe it is here to stay on the NIFCA programme.”
Wells also took the opportunity to thank Sagicor for partnering with the NCF to make NIFCA Juniors Night possible.
Agency Manager at Sagicor Life Inc., David Cave, said that their support of young people is one of the pillars of Sagicor’s commitment to improving the lives of people in communities in which they operate. He also observed that for the past 175 years, Sagicor has supported initiatives in the areas of health, sports, education and youth development.
“NIFCA therefore is a programme we are proud to support, as it provides not only a showcase of our culture, but also means to cultivate and develop the arts in Barbados, and pass on our heritage to generations of tomorrow,” he expressed. (TL)