The National Cultural Foundation (NCF) is giving Barbadians the opportunity to learn a skill in creative arts.
During a virtual launch on Tuesday of its free training website, held via Zoom, coordinator of the national training project, Aja, said the courses were being delivered by tutors respected in their discipline.
The programmes were being facilitated at community centres last year, he said, but the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the process.
“The online concept was introduced due to the in-person restrictions. Nevertheless, some programmes were executed with limited in-house participation, while some were solely done for online purposes,” he said. “Due to the level of in-person participation, about 140, it is evident that many Barbadians are interested in gaining information, knowledge and skills with respect to the arts. The staging of the 13 courses during the period June to September 2020, created an air of enthusiasm on the island’s creative landscape with respect to training . . . .
“This initiative by the NCF certainly expands its dimensions with respect to fostering the development of the arts in Barbados and certainly their preservation,” Aja added.
The free courses include Congo drumming, kiln building, visual arts, craft, stage production and management, joinery, make-up, video gaming, stilt walking, steel pan, Afro-Caribbean dance, theatre and videography. (SB)