The Cultural Development Foundation, the nation’s core institution for delivering efficient training programmes in all areas of the arts continues to develop the skills and expertise of artistes around the island. Part of the mandate of the CDF is to focus on the professional development of artistes and persons interested in the various genres of the Arts. 
The 2016 National Arts Festival is well on its way and training workshops in Theatre Arts focusing on the development of acting, speech and voice techniques were held in Vieux Fort and Castries during the months of March and April. Mrs. Dorethea Joseph and Mrs. Esther Matthew, two trained Theatre Arts teachers facilitated these workshops in the respective communities. A similar workshop is on-going in the south-western community of Soufriere, in collaboration with the Cultural Development Foundation, which will culminate with Street Theatre performances as part of its first Arts Festival this Saturday April 30th.
A cultural educator and experienced actor himself and former Executive Director of the Cultural Development Foundation, Kennedy “Boots” Samuel, is currently facilitating the training of budding and seasonal actors in Soufriere. Voice, vocal range and flexibility are elements that play a key role in dramatic impact during any public performance. This workshop which places emphasis on the use of the voice as an instrument, breathing techniques, voice quality, resonance, pitch, enunciation, projection and speech variety among other related areas, is one of many planned training opportunities that the CDF will offer to theatre groups and organisations in various communities. 
Participants who have accessed the training in the three communities, have expressed appreciation for the workshops and indicated that the experience will assist in the improvement of their performances and those of their students. Others assert marked improvements in their confidence, self- assurance, the use of their voice and the awareness of their space or environment. Although the leg of Theatre Arts workshops formally comes to an end on Thursday April 27, 2016, the CDF is already making plans to offer similar and follow-up training to meet the needs of performance groups in communities around the island.