THE local creative sector, in my opinion, is one which is filled with so many talented persons who deserve so much more recognition and support for all of the great work being done in their own little niches.

The Guyana Visual Arts Competition and Exhibition (GVACE), which got underway recently, is one forum that allows local creatives to get some recognition and support for all the good work they’ve been doing. The competition features six categories- painting, sculpting, ceramics, drawing, photography and fine craft.

In 2017 and again in 2019, I was fortunate to be able to visit the exhibition at the Castellani House and see the hundreds of locally made art creations and I believe that the GVACE really does a good job at fostering that sort of appreciation for creatives.

In fact, it was crafted in 2012 as a biennial competition and exhibition that aims to provide a forum to recognise and support the creative work of Guyanese in the Visual Arts, and to provide a source of inspiration to Guyanese artists, thereby stimulating the development of the finest expressions of the Visual Imagination among Guyanese.

This year, the exhibition runs mid-August, and that’s a space for persons to go see their works exhibited and look at the works of many others.

Aside from the GVACE, I also know about the Guyana Annual, which is a magazine that was relaunched last year and also serves to highlight the work of some local creatives in the literary and visual arts. This year’s edition of that magazine will be launched by the end of this month.

Both these platforms provide avenues for persons in the creative sector to get that support I mentioned. But I also think that support can come in much smaller ways and still have a significant impact.

A few months ago, a few of my friends and a few other young creatives started something small on Instagram. It was sort of a trend organised under the tag #SupportCreatives, and it was a social, Instagram-based something that sought to encourage persons to appreciate the efforts of young artists and photographers.

What the persons involved did was that they just reposted pieces done by persons and in some cases said what they liked about the pieces or how the work of the creator impacted them. I for one felt that this was such a sweet gesture that had a profound impact. And what started out as a few students appreciating one another, became a wider chain of persons supporting other persons (even those who they only knew online). It even allowed persons to share their own thoughts on uplifting each other within the creative field.

“The little help can go a long way in helping them develop their work, as it boosts their self-confidence,” an amateur photographer, Nathan Chinapen wrote, and continued: “I would’ve never gotten to like photography if it wasn’t for the overwhelming support some of you guys gave to me over the last three years.”

It was the posts and messages like those that made me so happy with that little trend.

Two weeks ago as well, I had a conversation with Guyanese photographer Fidal Bassier (whose works can be identified as 55 photography). Commenting on some of the photographs that I’ve shared online, he told me that he liked what he was seeing and that I should keep striving to improve my craft.

His sentiments came at a time when I felt as though my work had become mundane when compared to the work of all the other young, local photographers that I support. Out of that conversation, Fidal highlighted that you can look to others for inspiration and motivation and show your support for the work they’ve been doing, but the minute you start comparing yourself, you would never be satisfied. I personally think that what he said was so incredibly important (not just for me, but generally). And this was just another way of providing support within the field.

I say all of this to illustrate that support can come in many shapes and sizes, and we have our part to play in showing this.

And on that note, I’d like to give a plug to the Parkside Steel Orchestra. This group would like to send a large contingent, as part of the National Orchestra, to Carifesta XIV which will be held in Trinidad from August 16 to 25. Already on their own, they’ve hosted a concert last Sunday to raise funds and intend on doing more of those. I’m just saying that if possible, in some way– look out for them and show them your support (in cash or kind).