WITH a cap on space and August fast approaching, persons desirous of participating in this year’s Caribbean Festival of Arts (Carifesta) XIII in Barbados are being asked to audition early in order to make the cut.

“People need to pay attention to advertisements and follow the timeframe that we have so that they do not miss out,” Director of Culture, Ms Tamika Boatswain said on Monday.

As she hastened to explain, unlike Carifesta XII in Haiti back in 2015 when Guyana’s delegation was 80-strong, it won’t be able to send that many persons this year; just 60, because of budgetary constraints.

Auditions began Sunday and are being held daily from 14:00hrs at the Umana Yana.

Categories include: Craft, Culinary Arts, Fashion, Film Festival, Literary Arts, Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Symposia, Animation, Storytelling Events, Grand Cultural Market, Trade Fair, Youth Focus and Community Festival.

According to reports coming out of host country, Barbados, Prime Minister Freundel Stuart has sent the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) a progress report on preparations for CARIFESTA, billed for August 17-27 under the theme, “Asserting Our Culture, Celebrating Ourselves”.

And, based on that report, current CARICOM Chairman, Guyana’s President David Granger was quoted as saying that the 15-member community is fully cognisant of the importance of the festival to the Caribbean identity and “brand”, and wishes to see full participation in the event.

“We are a unique people, and it is important that we showcase the diversity of our people,” he said.

PM Stuart concurred, saying that while CARIFESTA showcases the diversity of the region, it highlights the unique character of each host country.

“Over the years, it has changed its character to reflect where it is being held, because each host country tries to put its cultural stamp on the festival. Therefore, we expect that while we will be having artistes from all over the region, there will be a peculiar Barbadian stamp on CARIFESTA XIII,” he said, adding that the Land of the Flying Fish, as Barbados is otherwise known, has had the privilege of hosting the event in 1981, and as such it is not virgin territory for them.

For further information about the auditions, persons can make contact via telephone numbers 604-7712, 641-7364 or 696-1193.