The National Cultural Foundation (NCF) continues its mission to preserve and promote Barbados’ Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) with the return of its much-anticipated community training programme in 2025. Building on three successful years of training in Drama and Spoken Word, the NCF will introduce an exciting new addition – Fling, a vibrant musical and dance-driven art form created by the Barbadian group AzMan.
Earlier this year, the NCF welcomed an impressive 160 participants, aged 6 to 66, to a 10-week training programme in Drama and Storytelling. The participants, drawn from communities across the island, showcased their newly acquired skills on National Heroes Day, demonstrating the transformative power of community-based arts education.
The training workshops were led by a team of experienced and passionate tutors, including Drama specialists Tiffani Amber Williams, Asiah Shepherd, Carolyn Brathwaite, Telia Williams, and Alicia Edwards, as well as Storytelling tutors Kenneth ‘Jack’ Lewis, Yolanda Holder, and Akeem Chandler-Perscod. Their dedication, along with the commitment of the participants, was praised by Janelle Mitchell, the NCF’s Cultural Officer for Theatre Arts, who described the enthusiasm as a positive sign for the programme’s future.
“Seeing the growth, creativity, and passion of our participants from different age groups was truly inspiring,” said Mitchell. “This is exactly what we aim to achieve through our ICH programming – community development, intergenerational learning, and cultural preservation.”
The upcoming 2025 programme promises to be even more dynamic, with the return of free workshops in Drama and Spoken Word, alongside the introduction of Fling. This culturally unique movement, characterized by its lyrical vocal content and infectious danceable rhythms, reflects the vibrant pulse of modern Barbadian expression.
The public is invited to take advantage of this unique opportunity to learn, grow, and connect through art. Registration is now open via the NCF’s website at https://ncf.bb/registration-forms. Spaces are expected to fill quickly, so interested participants are encouraged to sign up early.
The NCF remains committed to supporting Barbados’ cultural landscape through innovative programmes that encourage creative exploration and community participation. As 2025 approaches, the Foundation looks forward to nurturing the next generation of actors, spoken word artists, and cultural ambassadors, all while safeguarding Barbados’ rich and vibrant intangible cultural heritage. (PR)
