On Friday, 21st April, the Department of Youth and Culture launched its After School Arts Programme, ‘YOUth Create’.
Anguilla has a number of artistic offerings which include dance, music lessons and private visual arts training. However, membership fees have resulted in a number of students being excluded because of their socio-economic status. As the government agency tasked with ensuring that the general public has increased access to the arts and culture, the Department has a documented responsibility to facilitate the revitalization of the creative arts within primary schools across the island.
Hence, the After School Arts Programme (YOUth Create) was conceptualised to offer students access to the most popular areas of the arts within Anguilla. Students will receive exposure to theatre, dance and music through both a traditional and contemporary lens. The programme is expected to be theme based and aligned with the three academic terms. Each term will take on a unique theme that will inform the focus of the programme throughout those three months. The programme should become a critical component of annual school concerts and fundraising activities as these offer already established recital opportunities.
The programme’s first year will start with a pilot group of three schools: Orealia Kelly Primary School, Adrian T Hazel Primary School and Morris Vanterpool Primary School. The sessions will be held from 3:45 pm to 5:00 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays respectively. Students from Grade 2 to Grade 6 will be eligible to participate in the programme.
The coordinator of the programme is Mrs. Collette Jones Chin. She will be assisted by Ms. Samara Gumbs and Mr. Miguel Walker.
For more information about the programme contact the Senior Programme Officer – Culture Development – Ms. Shellya Rogers at shellya.rogers@gov.ai or by telephone (264) 498 3792/497 0969.
– Press Release
