SEVERAL patrons visiting the Grand Market at CARIFESTA IX have expressed their pleasure with the display of the Barbados stall, which features textiles, condiments, handicraft, hand-painted ceramic figurines, basketry and jewellery, among other items. Chief Cultural Officer with the National Cultural Foundation (NCF), Andrea Wells, said the booth had been ably co-ordinated by Cultural Officer, Special Projects, Ashanti Trotman, ably assisted by Ms. Undine Rouse of the Barbados Crafts Council (BCC). According to her, there was a very stringent process of selection of the items which are on display in the boot at CARIFESTA IX. For several years, the things we have done for the development of the craft sector have been done in collaboration with the BCC. What we did was send out letters to the general craft community, and once work was submitted which reached the required standard, we agreed to take it to represent craft in Barbados, she said. Miss Wells opined that CARIFESTA was not only about promoting the arts of Barbados in an effort to create a greater demand for them. She said, It is also exposing our artists to a wider community of artists and getting them to share experiences, exchange information and begin that process of continuous personal growth. The artists in the Barbados contingent have been exposed to various workshops at CARIFESTA IX and it is expected that this networking process would forge friendships that would, over time, be beneficial to their respective skills.

The NCF Chief Cultural Officer said already, artists in the contingent have been invited to take part in other festivals and events in the region and there are plans for exchanges. This is all outside the formal framework that the NCF has facilitated, she noted.

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