GUYANA has intensified preparations to host the 16th edition of the Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA) in 2027, with senior government officials and representatives of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat holding discussions on the festival’s organisation, regional cultural development and opportunities for the creative industries.
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr, and Minister within the Ministry, Steven Jacobs, on Monday, met with a CARICOM Secretariat team led by Adviser, Social Development, Beverly Harry-Emmanuel, at the Secretariat’s headquarters in Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown.
The discussions focused on key elements of the region’s premier multidisciplinary arts festival, including its broad programme of events, financial and administrative requirements, logistical arrangements, marketing strategies and opportunities to strengthen the Caribbean’s creative and cultural industries.
Programme Manager for Culture at the CARICOM Secretariat, Dr Hilary Brown, provided an overview of the history and evolution of CARIFESTA, which served as the foundation for discussions on the planning and delivery of the major regional event.
CARIFESTA, which brings together artistes, cultural practitioners and creative professionals from across the Caribbean, showcases a wide range of artistic expressions, including music, dance, theatre, literature, visual arts, film, fashion and other forms of cultural production.
Guyana holds a unique place in the history of the festival, having hosted the inaugural CARIFESTA in 1972. The country also hosted the event in 2008, while the most recent edition, CARIFESTA XV, was held in Barbados in 2025.
The engagement also addressed regional youth development, with Programme Manager for Youth Development at the CARICOM Secretariat, Michele Small-Bartley, presenting an overview of ongoing initiatives and priorities affecting young people across the Caribbean.
The discussions formed part of continued collaboration between Guyana and the CARICOM Secretariat as the country prepares to welcome regional delegations, artistes and cultural stakeholders for CARIFESTA 2027.
Guyana’s hosting of the festival is expected to provide a major platform for the promotion of Caribbean culture, while creating opportunities for local artistes, cultural organisations and businesses and supporting the continued expansion of the country’s tourism and creative sectors.