The National Arts Festival (NAF) is an annual and unique celebration of Saint Lucian artistry. It features an eclectic mix of work from artists in various genres of the arts – dance, theatre, literature, spoken word and visual arts. Working closely with community individuals /entities and with support from the corporate community, the Cultural Development Foundation (CDF), showcases the talents of creatives from around the island in a festival created with and for the people.
The 2018 edition of the festival will include the following elements:
Community Festival: Saturday, April 14th – Sunday, April 15th. Over the years, communities including Gros Islet, Vieux Fort, Babonneau and Micoud have hosted the annual extravaganza, infusing their unique twist to the festivities. This year, Canaries will bring to the National Arts Festival table a taste of what the West Coast fishing village has to offer. Visual artists will display their creations for two days in an all-day walk-through market (10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.) on the Canaries Multi Purpose Court. On April 15th performance artists will thrill and entertain in a star-studded concert.
Dance Night: Friday, April 20th. The AVAD Dance Ministry will present a soul stirring and inspiring dance production, “Break Free” at the National Cultural Centre. A children’s matinee has been planned for 1:00 p.m. for Infant and Primary Schools ($10) and Secondary Schools ($15). Adults can enjoy the show on the evening of the 20th from 8:00 p.m. at a cost of $40.
Theatre Night: Sunday April 22nd. “A Little Folktale”, a play directed by Monique Auguste, Jessie Mayers and Leeryk De Lima; students from the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College (SALCC) will be staged by members of the SALCC Drama Club at the National Cultural Centre at 7:30 p.m.
Poetry Night Live: Friday April 27th. Sounds of the Castries Underground features Saint Lucian poet Adrian Augier. The event takes place on Cadet Street which will transform into an intimate performance space for literature and spoken word lovers. The event commences at 7:00 p.m.