Carifesta alive

CARIFESTA XIV was launched at the Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre, St Ann’s, on Tuesday night. The 14th edition of the Caribbean Festival of the Arts will run from August 16-25.

Speaking at the launch, Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, Minister of Community Development, Culture and the Arts said the festival’s theme is, The Tangible and Intangible: Connect, Share, Invest. She said the theme “speaks to the importance of bridging the gap between the tangible and intangible heritage, the old and the new, the folk, indigenous and the contemporary traditions to create real opportunities for connecting, sharing and investing that will lead to the sustainability of the creative sector.”

Gadsby-Dolly said an estimated ten million people travel internationally each year for the main purpose of watching or participating in a music or cultural festival. She said the interest in cultural events and experiencing festivals is perceived by tourists as one of the most authentic ways of immersing themselves in local culture.

She said the creative industry, especially with the advancements in communication technology, is making a bold statement not only in the region but over the world and is taking on an innovative sustainable and global competitive paradigm shift that is moving at warp speed.

She said the industry represents the intersection of the world –renowned forms of mas, theatre, film, dance, music, pan, craft, visual and literary arts and a host of other sectors that bear the unmistakable Caribbean stamp.

“I encourage you to visit the Carifesta 14 website, www.carifesta.net which goes live tonight (Tuesday) as well as the Carifesta 14 social media pages for the event dates and information. When we meet for ten days let us come together to celebrate the arts, to celebrate our people, our culture and the Caribbean. Let us connect, share and invest.”

Aaron St Louis (Voice), Neval Chatelal, Nishard Mayrhoo, and Nailah Blackman are 2018 Carifesta XIV brand ambassadors, who will work to promote the festival across the region and internationally.