Preparation for the Culture Prize 2018 are in full swing. Thus far the department has received numerous entries from poets, dancers, visual artists, animators, filmmakers and vocalists.
“We are very pleased with the turn out” says Policy Officer Sharine Allamby-Duncan. Sharine further states that “the department recognizes that this format is a new premise for artist, especially young emerging artist, who still in their infancy as a creative person, but who are committed to discovering their personal voice of expression”.
The Department of Culture within the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (MECYS) is exceedingly excited by the level of seriousness in the entrants approach, and grateful that the secondary schools have also been responding in assisting their students to get engaged with the submission for Culture Prize 2018.
The Culture Prize 2018 is the first of its kind for the St. Maarten Creative Industry, in a culture where competition amongst each other on stage with emphasis on the performative has been the norm. In most competitions, artist perform and are adjudicated on said performance.
Candidates submitting their work to the Culture Prize 2018 Committee had to express their motivation and defend their work in their own words. “Integral to any artist is the phase of conceptualizing and putting idea to paper and having, a discourse about the process and the work” offers Ms. Reyes, Head of Dept. of Culture. “It was vital to us that persons submitting their work, could express clearly their process and connect their work to their motivation. She further adds that “It is always exciting to understand what drives and motivate the creative process”, what is behind the inspiration and how the artist achieved their vision.”
“We are very happy to the see the level of engagement that young artists took with regards to their submission” enthused Gina Illidge Administrator at the Dept. of Culture.
Ms. Lourdise Wilson, Junior Policy Officer added that “There was steady influx of entries on a daily basis coming in at the department and each was received with excitement.”
“Some submissions were hand delivered and others came in via the email address.” Added Ms. Daphne Thomas Senior Policy Officer at the Department of Culture.
The deadline for submission was Thursday March 15, 2018 at 5pm. All of the entries remained closed only to be opened in the presence of the entire judging committee.
The Culture Prize 2018 will be announced on Wednesday March 21, 2018 6 to 8pm at the Belair Community Center during the Creative Industries Interactive Exchange Forum and Art Exhibition. If you are interested in attending this forum, kindly contact the Department of Culture at culturedepartmentofsxm@gmail.com or 721-520-5340.
