The National Children's Festival of the Arts opens

Among those attending the opening of the Art and 
Craft Exhibition that began the National Children’s 
Festival of the Arts (NCFA) were (l-r) Chief Education 
Officer Nyda Flatley, NCFA Co-ordinator Stephanie 
Williams and Andrew Galloway, Manging Director of 
Coutts (Cayman), the major sponsor of the event

Friday, March 26, 2004

The 22nd National Children's Festival of the Arts opened with the Art and Craft exhibition, at the Harquail theatre, on Wednesday, 24 March. 

Chris Mann, head of art at George Hicks High School and co-ordinator for the art exhibition said: "We have work from nearly all of the public and private schools in the Cayman Islands on display. The work ranges from kindergarten age, to high school leaving age."

The exhibition covers a very broad cross-section of art works in many of different kinds of media, including drawing, painting, work in clay, and sculpture in a variety of materials. There are also works on glass and examples of printmaking. 

"The work is generally divided into different sections, landscape, portraits, flora and fauna," said Mr Mann. "We hope that it makes a good impact, and represents the work of students in schools, and the teachers who work with them," 

Painter and art teacher at John Gray High School, John Broad, was busy admiring the paintings. "This represents a year of work at John Gray High School," he said, adding, "It's a very colourful exhibition. It always is, every year."

HE the Governor, Bruce Dinwiddy, officially opened the exhibition on behalf of his wife Emma. "I think that this is very exiting and I'm delighted to be here," he said. "I missed this exhibition last year. My wife opened it, but she's in England at this time, and I've been given the honour of coming in her place this year. It's splendid to see what a terrific diversity of very expressive art there is, by school children of all ages, and it's great that they have the opportunity to exhibit in this way."

Others speaking at the opening ceremony included Joy Basdeo, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Education, and Nyda Flatley, Chief Education Officer, and education officer Stephanie Williams, the National Children's Festival of the Arts co-ordinator for the past 18 years. Minister of Education, Hon Roy Bodden was attending a funeral and sent apologies.

Also on hand to witness the opening was Andrew Galloway, Managing Director of Coutts (Cayman) Ltd, the major sponsor of the exhibition.

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