University of the West Indies Department of Creative and Festival Arts
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| University of the West Indies Department of Creative and Festival Arts | |
|---|---|
| Name | Department of Creative and Festival Arts |
| Parent | University of the West Indies |
| Established | 2003 |
| Location | St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago |
| Type | Academic department |
University of the West Indies Department of Creative and Festival Arts is an academic unit based at the St. Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies that specializes in the study and practice of Caribbean Carnival, theatre, music, dance, and festival studies. The department combines practical training in costume design, stagecraft, sound engineering, and choreography with theoretical inquiry into postcolonial studies, cultural heritage, performance studies, and ethnomusicology. It serves as a hub linking regional practitioners, national cultural institutions, and international researchers from places such as Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and Suriname.
History
The department was created amid curricular reforms at the University of the West Indies St. Augustine campus following consultations with the Caribbean Community, the Caribbean Broadcasting Union, and cultural stakeholders from Port of Spain and San Fernando. Early founders included scholars and practitioners associated with Eric Williams, Derek Walcott, Adrian Clarke, and carnival designers influenced by Alvin Ailey. Initial programmes responded to policy reports from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and cultural mapping exercises by the Caribbean Tourism Organization, while collaborations involved ensembles linked to National Carnival Commission and theatre companies inspired by Royal Shakespeare Company. Over the years the department expanded degrees, hosted festivals reflecting traditions like J'ouvert, Mas', and Crop Over, and engaged with archives connected to University of the West Indies Mona Campus and University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus.
Academic Programs
Degree offerings include undergraduate and postgraduate pathways such as a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Arts, a Master of Arts in Festival Studies, and doctoral supervision in topics crossing performance studies, sociology of culture, and history of art. Coursework encompasses modules drawing on practice from Calypso, Soca, Pan (steelpan), Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, and techniques inspired by pedagogues from Juilliard School, Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and Trinity College London. Students undertake placements with institutions such as the National Museum and Art Gallery and production houses collaborating with producers connected to Coldplay tours and regional events like Carifesta. Assessment structures combine portfolio submissions influenced by Gertrude Stein methodologies, ethnographic fieldwork modeled on studies by Alan Lomax, and production-based projects comparable to work staged at Queen's Hall.
Research and Scholarship
Research agendas emphasize interdisciplinary studies of Carnival, musicology, folklore, and ritual studies with projects citing methodologies used by Stuart Hall, Edward Said, and Homi K. Bhabha. Faculty research has addressed topics including identity formation in diaspora, copyright and intellectual property debates connected to World Intellectual Property Organization, and cultural policy linked to reports by the World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank. The department publishes working papers and hosts seminars featuring visiting scholars from SOAS, Columbia University, University of Toronto, Brown University, and University of the West Indies Mona Campus. Grants have been awarded by entities like the Caribbean Development Bank and foundations tied to the Ford Foundation and Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Facilities and Performance Spaces
Facilities include studios for dance, music, and theatre rehearsal, costume workshops equipped for millinery and textile fabrication, and a black box theatre used for productions inspired by Antonin Artaud, Bertolt Brecht, and Augusto Boal. Sound and lighting labs feature equipment standards aligned with touring rigs used by acts associated with Atlantic Records and regional calypso artistes. The department also curates archive holdings of manuscripts, recordings, and visual materials related to Calypso Rose, Lord Kitchener, Mighty Sparrow, and collections comparable to those at the National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago.
Outreach and Community Engagement
Community engagement programs partner with municipal authorities in Port of Spain, cultural NGOs such as CultureLink, and youth ensembles modeled on initiatives from UNICEF and Caribbean Examination Council. Outreach includes workshops for schoolchildren in collaboration with Ministry of Community Development, community-based mas camps, and training for practitioners who present at festivals like Panorama and Bocas Lit Fest. The department organizes public symposia that attract ministers, artists, and directors associated with institutions such as National Carnival Commission and regional broadcasters including the Caribbean Media Corporation.
Notable Faculty and Alumni
Faculty and alumni have included producers, composers, and scholars whose careers intersect with figures like Derek Walcott, Calypso Rose, Mighty Sparrow, Lord Kitchener, Winston "Gypsy" Peters, and playwrights comparable to Mustapha Matura. Graduates have held positions at cultural institutions including the National Museum and Art Gallery, served as artistic directors for events like Carifesta, and collaborated with international companies such as Royal Court Theatre and National Theatre, London.
Collaborations and Partnerships
The department maintains formal and informal partnerships with regional universities including University of the West Indies Mona Campus, University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus, University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus, and international partners such as University of the West of England, SOAS, and New York University. Collaborative projects have linked the department to grant programs from the European Union, residencies affiliated with British Council, and exchange activities involving festivals like Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Notting Hill Carnival.