2019 PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

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Christine Franklyn

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e Art Fair Celebrates the Strength of Maria

A Wealth of Talent Slated for the 9^th Annual Caribbean Fine Art Fair

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: February 19, 2019 – The 2019 Caribbean Fine Art Fair (CaFA Fair) will showcase the work of over 40 of the Caribbean’s most prolific visual artists during five days filled with art, film, music and performance events.

Locals and visitors alike can experience the transformative power of art as they view this exhibition from March 6 to 10 in the Courtney Blackman Grande Salle of the Central Bank of Barbados.

Paintings, sculpture, photography, fine art jewellery, and more will be on display from Barbados, Antigua, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St. Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago and the US Virgin Islands.

"In our 9th year, looking towards our 10th anniversary, the organizers of CaFA Fair Barbados are even more committed to highlighting the tremendous value of the visual and performing arts to our economy and cultural enjoyment,” says Anderson Pilgrim, Executive Director of the CaFA Fair. “I believe that our vision fits perfectly with the need for the region to diversify both its cultural and tourism offerings.”

The series of events kicks off with the gala opening on March 6, during which the Caribbean Luminary of the Arts Award will be presented posthumously to the late Winston Jordan, acclaimed visual artist, cartoonist and costume designer. Terry “Mexican” Arthur’s musical talent will set the tone for the evening, and there will be a special appearance by Charisma Jones-Chin, the Anguillan

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Ms. Scotiabank Talented Teen.

There’s a special feature each day of the fair. On March 7 a Spoken Word session, hosted by Alan Springer, takes place at 5.30 p.m. The open mic segment is expected to unearth a diverse range of talent, and there will be appearances by Cher Antoinette, Khuumba Ama, Loraine Klaiber and Syd.

March 8 is Caribbean Fashion Day. In the evening, patrons can expect to see designs from Deisha Dare from Trinidad and Tobago, IMAT’s Creations of Martinique, and Lana Wilson, Andrea L. O’Neale, Cherin White, Marva Forde and Alice Martin from Barbados.

A Caribbean Art Symposium will be held on March 9 with a panel that includes writer/producer Aduke Aremu, retired educator Dr. Myrna Belgrave, visual artist/therapist S. Ross Browne, artist/arts administrator Victor Davson, songwriter/vocalist Mighty Gabby, and writers/producers Rafael Moreno and Alan Springer.

Members of the public are also invited to attend the finale on March 10, featuring discussions by Curator Oneka Small on “Contemporary Arts Practice in Barbados and the Caribbean” and another by Winslow Jordan and friends on “Winston Jordan and His World”.

Events happening concurrently in other spaces include Open Studio Tours by Artists Alliance on March 7, 12:00 to 5:00 p.m., providing a rare opportunity to meet local artists in their work spaces. The work in these spaces ranges from paintings to sculpture, textiles, mixed media and jewellery.

In addition, “The World of Winston Jordan: A Tribute” will be on display at the Exchange Interactive Centre, adjacent to the Central Bank, from March 7 to April 3.

The Caribbean diaspora will also take centrestage with a special exhibition entitled “Diaspora Dialogue VI”. Some of the participating artists hail from as far afield as Argentina, Brazil and Ghana.

The literary arts have not been left out either. Chattel House Books will be present during the Fair, selling publications by Caribbean authors.

The organizers of the CaFA Fair view the five-day arts festival as a springboard from which regional artists may take advantage of worldwide opportunities. Their mission is to demonstrate that art does not have to be a passion-turned-hobby but there are viable opportunities for artists to earn a living doing what they love.

It is fitting, therefore, that the work of Barbadian students will be on exhibit in Norman Centre Mall in Bridgetown.

Admission to CaFA Fair events is free for all students with ID and children 16 years and under.

CaFA Fair is one of the largest annual art exhibitions in the Caribbean. It is supported by Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc., COT Media Group, the National Cultural Foundation, Intimate Hotels of Barbados, Terra Caribbean and Onomatopoeia.

For event details, please visit www.cafafair.com or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..