If you missed the movable feast for the senses that was Cayman Art Week in 2021, fret not – it returns on 22 June with another collection of events and exhibitions to dazzle the eye.
Last year was the inaugural launch of the initiative, which was designed to bring artists and art lovers together, creating new connections for established names as well as emerging talent. The plan is to keep it as a fixture on the annual calendar in order to support the growth of a sustainable art market and raise the visibility of artists in Cayman.
“In 2021, Cayman Art Week highlighted how much creative potential we have in Cayman, and we are looking forward to a 2022 edition which offers a broader public programme of events and venues across our three islands,” says Natalie Urquhart, the founder-director of Cayman Art Week.
Beyond the excitement of seeing the wide variety of pieces on display at different venues, guests found the events to be very social affairs, where they caught up with friends and colleagues.
This year’s Art Week runs from 22-26 June across all three islands, with no entry fees. It features a packed programme of exhibitions, panels and parties taking place at 34 venues that range from galleries and artist studios to pop-up spaces.
Through the districts
Each day will focus on a different location, with hop-on bus tours making it easy to visit multiple destinations. Up first is CAW West, taking place on 23 June in the Seven Mile Beach and West Bay area. On 24 June, the party moves to George Town for CAW Central/Art in the City in partnership with the George Town Revitalisation. On 25 June, buses head to the eastern districts for CAW East, and 26 June is an Open Studio Day where artists from Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman open their doors to the public.
New this year is the Cayman Art Week Hub at Camana Bay which will feature a pop-up exhibition, meeting space and information centre. The Hub will host a programme of art talks, portfolio reviews and career advice for creative students and emerging artists.
The Ministry of Youth, Sports, Culture and Heritage is one of CAW’s lead partners this year. Minister Bernie Bush said, “With its mission to identify and nurture young creative talent and to provide opportunities for young artists to participate in the industry, Cayman Art Week fits closely with my priorities and Ministry’s vision. We are committed to empowering a thriving society that values, celebrates and supports its unique culture and to ensuring access to arts for everyone in our community.”
“We are excited to collaborate with the Ministry to broaden the spectrum even further this year and to create even more visibility for our artists,” Urquhart added.
Cayman Art Week team
The Cayman Art Week team consists of the volunteer committee of Natalie Urquhart, Pam Brown, Melanie Cumber, Meegan Ebanks and Isy Walton, and staff Jessica Ebanks (project coordinator) and Sarah Needham (intern).
Spotlight events
Here is just a sample of the many items on the Cayman Art Week calendar:
Wednesday, 22 June
Launch Party @ KARoo
7-11pm
Groove to the funky sounds of DJ Marcel da Kinky Koala, and experience the energy as 50 Cayman artists create a one-of-a-kind masterpiece on a single canvas, painting with the Open Canvas community.
Thursday, 23 June
Gordon Solomon Live @ Facebook
5-7pm
Artist Gordon Solomon is going live from Cayman Brac. Tune in to Facebook to see what’s on the easel at his studio and what he’s got in store for his ‘Art in a Box – Grand Cayman’ giveaway at 6pm.
CAW West @ Seven Mile Beach area
6-9pm
Visit galleries in the Seven Mile Beach area after-hours and enjoy special access to pop-up art spaces and projects. Pre-registration required for the curated bus tour at www.eventpro.ky.
Friday, 24 June
Meet and Greet @ Pure Art Gallery
5-7pm
Join gallerist Debbie Van der Bol and featured artists for a ‘Meet and Greet’ reception and special mini-exhibition featuring Joanne Sibley, Shirley Scott, Susannah H. Snowden-Smith, Jennifer Potts Goddard, and Mark Frazer. Refreshments provided.
Saturday, 25 June
Open Studio with Simone @ Simone’s Art Gallery, Cayman Brac
9am-1pm
Simone’s Art Gallery, in collaboration with Cayman Brac Artists Meet group, will be hosting an en plein air watercolour session. Join Simone in the front yard of her gallery to paint a traditional Caymanian house, from 9am to noon. Afterwards, exhibiting artist Theingi Tin Oung will join Simone for a ‘meet the artist’ session from noon to 1pm.
Sunday, 26 June
Open Studio with VAS @ Pedro St. James
10am-2pm
The Visual Arts Society will host an Open Studio and Members’ Exhibit at its Pedro St. James studio. Appreciate a glass of wine in this scenic space while you meet and greet the artists and members. The event will include introductory pottery wheel instructions and an exhibit featuring framed batiks, cards and prints, fine art photography, ceramics, jewellery and more.
| For more information about Cayman Art Week, to register an event, or to sign up for the schedule, email [email protected] or visit www.caymanartweek.com.
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