Back-Ah-Yard mentoring Point Fortin youth through the arts

Back-Ah-Yard Culture has been holding its Culture Splash One Mic Series to provide a space for both up-and-coming and established artistes to showcase their various genres, as well as to mentor youth and "test out" new compositions.

The organisation is keenly working with the youth in the Point Fortin community assisting them to fine tune their creative skills and to provide mentorship and support with input from professional artistes.

In pursuit of its mission, Back-Ah-Yard has been hosting monthly performances since the launch of the Culture Splash One Mic Series in May at Mama's Yard, Boodoo Street, Point Fortin. It continues to do so on the first Sunday in every month.

The Culture Splash One Mic Series has featured artistes such as SuperBlue, Muhummad Muwakil and Lou Lyons of Freedom Collective, Justice King, Original Levi, Sista Kaffi Smith, and Shakeela, since its launch.

Back-Ah-Yard, is headed by artiste Dixie-Ann Joseph who is also known as Shakeela on stage. She is invested in helping the youth in her community develop their performing and creative skills by giving them the necessary support.

"Eighty per cent of the youth we serve are from single-parent households," Shakeela said in a media release.

In one of the sessions titled Youth Voice in which young participants showcased their songwriting abilities, they were inspired by soca artiste SuperBlue who listened to their contributions and mentored them, the release said.

"SuperBlue represented that father figure; listening and supporting their renditions and then mentoring them with some of his iconic songs.

"Now that they've grown in confidence, they insist that they are ready to feature at Culture Splash One Mic Sundayz –Youth Voice Edition on August 7," Shakeela said.

As part of an ongoing creative arts youth interaction, the Back-Ah-Yard youth hosted Silver Harps Youth Steel Orchestra under its Poetry meets Steelpan Youth Exchange programme on July 9.

Commenting on the programme's progress Shakeela said, "In Point Fortin we live for legacy. Youth development and community development are ideals, based on values, that continue to be handed down from generation to generation.

"To be able to host our young ones, to bring about poetry meets steelpan, was already a dream come true, but to hear poets as young as five years execute their pieces on the melodies from steelpan, made it even more magical," Shakeela said.

The return leg of the Poetry meets Steelpan Youth Exchange will be in August at Silver Harps Steel Orchestra Panyard, Salazar Trace, Point Fortin, as the band is currently conducting its pan vacation camp until July 31.

Back-Ah-Yard will host its own vacation camp from August 15-31, however, participants must first register for the Poetry and Creative Arts programme for which a few more spaces are available.

For more info: 344-9662 or e-mail: backahyardpointfortin@gmail.com