Carifesta talent search

THE Carifesta XIV Secretariat will conduct a talent search for up and coming performers to showcase their skills at Carifesta scheduled for August 16-25 in TT.

The search begins on Saturday and will continue until February 2 at venues across TT for those who can sing, dance, perform spoken word, play an instrument, act, or any other artistic quality "that keeps audiences wanting more."

In a media release, the Carifesta XIV Secretariat said it is taking "an innovative approach to ensuring not only the widest possible participation in this celebration of the arts but also providing new talent with the opportunity to showcase their skills to the region."

The ten-day, multi-disciplinary arts and culture festival which takes place every two years, aims to celebrate the spirit, culture and heritage of the Caribbean people through music, visual art, food, literature, folklore, theatre and dance, the release said.

Activities will include a grand market, which will be held at the Queen's Park Savannah in Port of Spain, festival hub, the Tobago showcase, food festival, country nights, signal events featuring regional performers, the TT Film Festival, literary arts festival, community festivals, youth villages, symposiums, street festivals and a super concert featuring the region's top artists.

Brand ambassadors for Carifesta XIV are Machel Montano, Soca Monarch Aaron "Voice" St Louis, Nailah Blackman, Neval Chatelal and Nishard Mayrhoo.

The release said over 5,000 people are expected to pass through and enjoy performances on the three stages of the grand market and youth village daily, as well as stages at eight community festivals across TT, Those selected from the talent search will have the opportunity to perform to thousands of local and regional audiences at the festival’s 150-plus shows and activities, the release said.

The search is also a casting a call for performers for the opening and closing ceremonies of Carifesta XIV. The live, televised opening ceremony will feature cinematic scenes and themes from across the region and TT's landmarks while the closing ceremony will celebrates the success of the festival and bids farewell to participants from the region.

The talent search will be conducted at the following venues:

January 12, 2019 UTT O’Meara Campus, Arima, Trinidad

January 19, NAPA, Frederik Street, Port-of-Spain

January 26, SAP, cor Todd Street and Rienzi Kirton Highwa, San Fernando,

February 2, Shaw Park, Scarborough, Tobago

For more info on rules, criteria and registration www.carifesta.net/talentsearch.