Acting Chief Cultural Officer Jacinta David wants Dominicans to immerse themselves in their culture as one of the most anticipated cultural events, Dominica Festival of the Creative Arts (DOMFESTA), takes off from April 25th to June 1st 2014.
DOMFESTA, which is an event meant to showcase and promote the talents of artists and other aspects of our cultural heritage, is now in its 31st year.
“DOMFESTA is a wonderful opportunity to immerse ourselves in our culture; it is a time when we focus on our creative talents in the arts. It is a time for solidification of our national identity, pride in ourselves as individuals and as a nation,” she said at the official launch of the festival at the Old Mill Cultural Center on Wednesday. “Therefore we would like to encourage the general public to attend the events and immerse yourselves in your culture.”
David states that this year’s festival is going to be exciting as the island is given the opportunity to celebrate its rich culture in visual and performing arts.
She also reported that the National Cultural Council and the Cultural Division have teamed up to present a sensational program of activities.
Among them is an “exciting Hip Hop dancer,” David Milome from Guadeloupe, who will perform courtesy of the Alliance Francaise de la Dominique.
According to David, the festival is one way of promoting the artistic development of the country’s youth and “in so doing the Division contributes to the development of the cultural industries on a whole.”
The following is the calender of events for DOMFESTA 2014:
April 25th and 26th the Waitukubuli Dance Theatre company production at the Arawak House of Culture
May 1st DAME High Scorers’ Concert at the Fort Young Hotel
May 3rd to 7th Giraudel/Eggleston Flower Show “Creativity with Flowers” at Giraudel
May 6th to 16th Photographic Exhibition Old Mill Cultural Center
May 8th Artistes of Tomorrow held at the Arawak House of Culture
May 9th to 11th Madam Speaker at the Arawak House of Culture
May 13 DIFA End of Year Concert Arawak House of Culture
May 14th Creole Spelling Bee Finals to be held at the Arawak House of Culture
May 16th Evening of Dance “Hurlant Corps”
May 17th Hip Hop Dance Workshop
May 21st to 25th African Liberation Week
May 22nd Night of Poetry “Lyrics under the stars” held at the Old Mill Cultural Centre
May 24th Pan in Harmony “Tribute to Mr. Edward Andre” by the Breezie’s Pan Symphony to take place at the Alliance Francaise de la Dominique
May 30th to June 1st Pork Festival at Bagatelle
May 30th to June 1st New Dimension Theatre (NDT) Desired Will
Great work… maybe an audition could be added next time
DOMFESTA has been organized for many years now. I think that this festival should be by now the level of the World Creole Festival attracting international visitors and our French neighbours from Guadeloupe and Martinique. Can someone tell me why it hasn’t? If funding is the problem, then the Government should see the need to inject the necessary funds to promote the cultural richness of our country.
As an observer leaving here its just sad. The tourism industry is dying here and this is an opportune time to force some form of collaboration between the Cultural Council and the Dominica Festival Commission (if that’s their mandate), Invest Dominica, Ministry of Tourism and obviously the private sector to see how we can develop this festival even further. I would like to think that the Cultural Council has tried but I guess to no avail. Dominicans need to be educated and gain a deeper appreciation of the importance of this Festival.
My two cents.
DNO are these activities all free or paid events I would like to know cause I want to attain some of them
It’s about time Ms. David is given the opportunity to act. Whatever was the reason, I know as a Senior Cultural Officer, she will do her best. Go Girl and make some of us proud. Who knows, they haven’t seen the best of you. Some of them have tried their best to keep you down, but GOD is not a POLICE.
I wish that I could be present, well done D A