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| University of the West Indies Carnival Arts Programme | |
|---|---|
| Name | University of the West Indies Carnival Arts Programme |
| Established | 1980s |
| Type | Academic programme |
| City | Port of Spain |
| Country | Trinidad and Tobago |
| Campus | St. Augustine Campus, University of the West Indies |
University of the West Indies Carnival Arts Programme is an academic and creative initiative located at the St. Augustine Campus, University of the West Indies in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. The programme operates at the intersection of carnival in Trinidad and Tobago, performance studies, and cultural heritage preservation, engaging students and practitioners in masked performance, costume design, and festival management. It collaborates with regional and international institutions to document and sustain mas, calypso, and related traditions associated with Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, Caribbean literature, and Caribbean visual art.
The programme traces roots to collaborations among faculty from University of the West Indies, practitioners from Trinidad Carnival, and cultural policymakers linked to Ministry of Tourism (Trinidad and Tobago), Institute of Jamaica, and Caribbean Cultural Workers’ Association. Early milestones involved partnerships with figures associated with Kaiso, Calypso Monarch, and visual artists influenced by Society of Trinidad and Tobago Artists, with formalization occurring alongside initiatives such as the Caribbean Festival of Arts and the Commonwealth Arts and Crafts Board. The development reflects influences from movements connected to Calypsonian Lord Kitchener, Mighty Sparrow, and theatrical producers who worked in contexts like the National Carnival Commission and Port of Spain City Corporation.
Administration sits within the Faculty of Humanities and Education, University of the West Indies structure and interacts with units such as the Institute of Caribbean Studies and the Office of the Principal, St. Augustine Campus. Governance involves committees with representatives from entities including the National Carnival Commission, Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat, and cultural NGOs like Trinidad and Tobago National Trust. Funding streams have included grants from agencies such as the Caribbean Development Bank, cultural policy initiatives tied to the Commonwealth Foundation, and sponsorships from corporate partners active in Port of Spain events.
Coursework combines practical workshops in costume design, mask-making, and choreography with theoretical modules referencing scholarship from Stuart Hall, CLR James, and researchers affiliated with University of the West Indies Mona Campus and University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus. Training modules have drawn on methodologies from The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Central Saint Martins, and community pedagogies used by mas bands led by artisans like Peter Minshall and costume designers linked to the Band of the Year tradition. Students undertake fieldwork in communities such as Laventille, Diego Martin, and Arima and engage archival methods used by institutions like the National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago.
Productions staged by the programme have featured mas bands, street parades, and staged spectacles performed during events tied to Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, J'ouvert, and cultural showcases at venues including the Queen’s Park Savannah, Hasely Crawford Stadium, and festival sites used in Carifesta. Collaborations have included artists and ensembles from Steelpan Music, Pantrinbago, and performers influenced by Soca Monarch competitors. Guest directors and choreographers associated with international festivals such as the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and regional exchanges with National Museum and Art Gallery (Barbados) have contributed to staged narratives, pageantry, and installations.
The programme conducts outreach in neighbourhoods and schools across Trinidad and Tobago and partners with community organizations like National Carnival Commission affiliates, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service outreach units, and youth groups that participate in Children’s Carnival. Its impact is visible in mentoring initiatives that connect students with veteran mas-makers, calypsonians, and pannists tied to institutions such as Trinidad and Tobago Carnival Bands Association and Pan Trinbago. Cross-border exchanges have strengthened ties with cultural actors in Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, and Saint Lucia, contributing to policy dialogues at forums like the Caribbean Cultural Forum.
Scholarly activity includes ethnographic studies, oral histories, and material culture curation in collaboration with the National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean Museum Center for The Arts, and university libraries across the University of the West Indies system. Collections include costumes, masks, sketches, and audiovisual records related to productions by noted practitioners with relevance to research on calypso, soca, and steelpan histories. The programme has supported exhibitions and cataloguing projects similar to initiatives mounted by the National Museum and Art Gallery (Trinidad and Tobago) and archival partnerships with the British Library for diasporic Caribbean materials.
The programme and alumni have received acknowledgments from regional and international bodies including awards affiliated with Carifesta, honors from the Trinidad and Tobago Republic Day Awards framework, and fellowships sponsored by institutions like the Caribbean Cultural Institute and arts funds linked to the Commonwealth Foundation and Ford Foundation. Recognition has also come through collaborative prizes awarded at festivals such as the Panorama (Trinidad and Tobago) and accolades accorded by cultural trusts and municipal bodies in Port of Spain.
Category:University of the West Indies Category:Trinidad and Tobago culture