Art@Governors, the Cayman Islands’ premier arts festival returns on Saturday, 4 February. It’s an event designed to give emerging local artists and traditional artisans the opportunity to exhibit and sell their work to the public.
The event is hosted by Governor Duncan Taylor and family, the National Gallery and the management of Governors Square. Each year as many as 100 artists, including artists from Cayman Brac and Little Cayman who are being flown over for the event courtesy of Cayman Airways, participate in this much anticipated festival and the work on display spans a wide range of artistic forms from wood carvings to glass works, traditional art forms like thatch bags, waurie boards and traditional gigs to jewellery and fine art pieces by well-known Caymanian artists.
It’s an event that has grown over the years and spread beyond its original venue in the Governor’s garden and across the road into Governors Square. Artists in the Governors Square location will be selling their wares to the public, while the grounds of Governor’s House provide new artists with an opportunity to exhibit their work in an informal setting.
Featured Artist
This year’s featured artist is one of Cayman’s most prolific: Nickola McCoy-Snell. She was named the winner of the prestigious McCoy Prize in the fine arts category in 2007 and over the years her works have been on show at the National Gallery and several other locations on the Island. She has also had a solo exhibition in Cornwall, England, and took part in a group show in Italy in 2009.
Nickola will show her most current works at the event and hopes to demonstrate her unique style of expressive painting on the lawn of the Governors House throughout the afternoon. “I really hope visitors will come away inspired and wanting to create for themselves. I am open and available to chat and answer any questions that persons may have about me and my work,” she says.
School participation
All schools were encouraged to think about the theme “Art: a Universal Language” in an abstract way, in the weeks preceding the event and asked to examine in their art classes how it connects people and communities. Their resulting works will be entered in the Governors Cup Competition and displayed at the event. The Governor will be judging the competition himself on the day.
The winning school takes home the Governors Cup to display for a year. A number of prizes will also be awarded to participating students.
Not just art
In addition to the work of some 100 artists, there will be plenty of other entertainment. Musical entertainment will be provided by DJ Craig of Oneworld Entertainment and Pandemonium Steel Band and the Cayman Islands Marching Band while the George Town Primary Quadrille Dancers put on a performance of traditional dancing.
Throughout the afternoon members of the Cayman Catboat Club will also be offering demonstrations and free boat rides to the public from Governors Beach.
Charitable organisations will also have the opportunity to set up displays promoting their individual causes to the public on Non-Profit Row. The Cayman Aids Foundation, The National council of Voluntary Organisations, the Department of Environment and the Visual Arts Society are just some of those that will have a presence at the event.
Art@Governors runs from 12.30pm-4pm on Saturday, 4 February. Parking will be available at Regatta Office Park and Governors Square.
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