Over-subscribed! That’s one way to describe the CXC-sponsored CAPE Performing Arts two-day workshop held at the Error Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination (EBCCI), UWI Cave Hill Campus on Thursday 24 and Friday 25 August during CARIFESTA XIII.

“The fact that teachers were committed to coming for training for two days in the middle of CARIFESTA suggests their absolute desire for training. It also suggests that teachers desperately need training and that ministries of education should work with stakeholders including the EBBCI and CXC to ensure that this is done,” explained Dr Yvonne Weekes, Lecturer in Theatre at EBBCI and coordinator of the workshop.

Dr Weekes added that most teachers in their evaluation suggested that they would have liked to see a three to five-day workshop.

The two-day workshop initially catered for 30 participants, however, by the end of day one, there were 50 participants, and organisers did not want to turn away anyone. The workshop was divided into five themes: Business for the Arts, Dance, Music, Theatre and Film. All participants attended the Business for the Arts session which took place on the morning of day one. Dr Suzanne Burke, Lecturer at UWI St Augustine Campus facilitated the session which was very informative and interactive.

Participants then broke into the performance options: Dance was facilitated by Neila Ebanks, of the Edna Manley College of the Performing Arts; Theatre by Dr Yvonne Weekes, Lecturer in Theatre at the EBBCI, UWI, Cave Hill; Music by Dr Stefan Walcott, Lecturer and Musical Director; Film by Ms Melaine Springer, Producer/Director of Brownest Eye Productions; and

Participants at the workshop came from Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Guyana, Jamaica, St Marten, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago.