NIFCA is on Amazon

For the first time in its history, the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) has made the National Independence Festival of Creative Arts (NIFCA) Winning Words Anthology available on the world’s largest e-commerce website, Amazon, NCF Chief Executive Officer Carol Roberts-Reifer has announced.

In an announcement that was greeted by resounding applause, she told the NIFCA Awards Ceremony held at the Sir Garfield Sobers Complex on Sunday evening: “One of the major achievements of NIFCA 2019 occurred in the discipline of Literary Arts as the NIFCA Winning Words Anthology was made available for sale on Amazon.com.

Roberts-Reifer said the impact of the move was immeasurable and that it was just the beginning of more items being posted on the site.

Cheyenne Hall who won multiple awards including the only gold award in Photography, receiving her award from Minister John King. (David Yearwood Photography)

She said: “It may sound like a simple feat but imagine the exposure and the potential to be realised by the featured authors. It’s immense.

“And you can be sure that they are many more authentic Barbadian items of all kinds that will soon be Amazon.com-bound.”

While praising the successful staging of an NCF festival, the CEO said the goal of NIFCA was two-fold: “To create greater awareness and public interest in the creative exploits of Barbadians and to increase opportunities for participants to benefit from training as well as turn their ideas into enterprise and generate income.”

There were major changes to NIFCA 2019. There was the live streaming of the performing Arts to a local and global audience; the decentralisation of the Visual and Photography exhibition; tributes to three icons of NIFCA; the inclusion of international judges and scouts; the introduction of the new Richild Springer Award of Excellence. Shakira White was the recipient of that inaugural award valued at $10,000.

The crème de la crème of the arts world were feted, as awardees received gold, silver, bronze, special awards and sponsor awards.

Shai Best copped the Prime Minister’s Scholarship Award valued at $35,000. He won the award for his dance piece entitled: Before the Bough Breaks, performed by Dancin’ Africa.

Cheyenne Hall won the only NIFCA Gold in the photography category. Entered as a junior, she was awarded the NIFCA Reproduction Award and the Barbados Photographic Society Junior Lens Award, among others.

NCF chairman Glyne Harrison congratulated all of the awardees in his welcoming remarks.

“You are here because you took the time and you are committed and you have reached the level that you did that allows you to be one of the elite in Barbados creative space today,” he said.