Creatives are being encouraged to embrace a National Cultural Foundation (NCF) opportunity to showcase their art during next month’s ICC T20 Cricket World Cup.
Key figures in the creative industry speaking to Barbados TODAY have endorsed the NCF’s open call for dancers, dance groups, choreographers, cultural characters, musicians, musical groups, performers and DJs to register for an opportunity to perform for the tournament. They suggested it could be the start of an extended busy period of creativity for the nation’s artists.
Barry Knight, public relations officer for the Barbados Association of Creatives and Artists (BACA) told Barbados TODAY it was good to see creatives being offered such an international platform.
“It’s a good opportunity for the artist to have,” Knight said. “I like how they are doing it, it’s not just a chosen few, so the pool [of artists] should be a little bigger. I’m not sure about the process, but the mere fact that they are asking for the call to come out and for people to register [is good]. I know of a few people who had registered online. It’s a good opportunity on that stage.”
With the World Cup and Crop Over running close together, this year should prove to be a great one for artists seeking to expand their audience, he added.
“There are two major things happening, a lot of eyes will be on the island, so hopefully our members will have some music that will get [traction].” he said. “It will be the 50th anniversary for Crop Over; we know the [Soca Monarch] competition will not be happening again but we know there will be other opportunities like Sweet Limes and stage opportunities to perform out there.”
Neil Waithe
Visual and Performance artiste.
Visual and performance artist Neil Waithe said the opportunity should be positive, particularly for theatrical artists.
“I believe that the call that the NCF put out for entertainers and artists to be part of the Cricket World Cup is great,” Waithe told Barbados TODAY. “I think all public opportunities that give everyone a chance to be a part of [such an event] is great. At the last World Cup, I was very happy to be part of the band with Ishiaka McNeil and Mac Fingall — not that I was officially part of it but definitely enjoyed the festivities.
“I think there is a lot of theatre, there is a lot of street theatre of spectacle involved. It’s an opportunity to create a character, it’s an opportunity to have a stage, to be in an arena, [and] to be culturally expressive.”
Andrea King, who once headed the former Barbados Cultural Industries Development Authority and produced the Bridgetown International Arts Festival, said the open call may also be effective in discovering new talent.
“The NCF’s open call for entertainers for the World Cup is very democratic and can provide a good opportunity to discover new talent from individuals or groups who may not have had the chance to perform on a national stage before and may infuse a freshness in performances,” said King. “It’s a great opportunity to get exposure and recognition on a national scale, and can be a stepping stone for them. This open call is perhaps also a cost-effective way to discover new Barbadian talent.
“Creatives should see this opportunity to participate in the World Cup as an important one. In fact, this year and next year will provide many ways for them to earn an income from their talent. The cricket is occurring during the Season of Emancipation, which also includes the Crop Over festival. Next year we understand that the We Gatherin’ initiative will also be happening, and CARIFESTA may also happen, so the next 24 months are full of ways for creatives to generate some income. We should also consider that it’s not just the performing artists who can benefit; other types of creatives like graphic designers, photographers, videographers, will also benefit.”
