Kiran Denis National Gallery Outreach Officer

The National Gallery of the Cayman Islands launched its first session of the “Art Zone” district programme in Bodden Town on Saturday, 19 April.

The programme was held at the Bodden Town Public Library between 10:00 am to 12:00 pm with the help of librarian Georgia Bowers and volunteer Nancy Davies. The instructors of the Art Zone Programme are focused on teaching skills, which will make participants stronger artists and creative thinkers.

This inaugural session involved the participants in an island-wide community painting project by taking a look at creating art with a social message, simultaneously, promoting art appreciation and education. Although, the district project is targeted to all age groups, the majority of the participants who came through the doors were children as young as four to teenagers as old as 16.

National Gallery Outreach Officer, Kiran Denis, commenting on the session’s low attendance said:

“The enrolment for this programme was very low. We only had one official registrant for this session even after many press releases and promotions. We want to continue to develop more free public programmes, but we can only do so if we see a demand for them. We were very appreciative of one parent who literally went out into the community and rounded up nine additional participants for us.”

Although enrolment was down, Ms Denis is positive that the sessions will pick up interest as the district programme progresses.

“We know that the citizens of this island have a very high interest rate in the visual arts which is why the National Gallery has many existing Art Outreach programmes,” she said.

The results from this first series of district paintings will be displayed in the National Gallery’s Art Outreach annual exhibit and sale “From Within: VI” which will begin on Thursday, 28 August at the National Gallery at Harbour Place in George Town.

The Art Zone district programme will be in the George Town district on Saturday, 7 June at the George Town Public Library. In West Bay, the programme is scheduled for Saturday, 21 June at the West Bay Public Library, both programmes run from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm.

For more information on how to register for this event or to get involved in Art Outreach please call Kiran Denis at 947-0853 or email outreach.ng@candw.ky