Ministry hosts free vacation camps

This was revealed by Angela Edwards, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts at the launch of cultural camps at the VIP Lounge, Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain on Tuesday.

According to Edwards who was speaking on behalf of Minister Gadsby-Dolly, initiatives such as these go a long way in providing value, transforming lives and building capacity in our communities.

Nineteen cultural camps are open to children age nine to 17 years. Each camp which hosts 50 participants who will be exposed to the arts and local heritage with topics covering the performing arts (dance, drama and music), literary arts and visual arts. Technical camps are open to participants from 18 to 65 years and will focus on several areas including carnival arts, visual arts, literary arts, fashion design, makeup for stage, music and other areas.

Damian Richardson, cultural officer II, emphasised the importance of the cultural camps which are geared towards educating young people about their heritage and art forms.

Director of the Culture Division Ingrid Ryan-Ruben reiterated the important role of camp facilitators and underscored the need for commitment by all interest groups.

“When you interact with young people you have the opportunity to help define what kind of cultural citizen young people will become.

Indeed, it is an opportunity to build young people and by extension Trinidad and Tobago,” she said in a media release.

Some of the stakeholders attending the launch were Beverly Reid-Samuel, deputy permanent secretary of the Ministry; and several organisations including Arts-in- Action; Dianjen Media Co Ltd, Fashion Fundamentals, Benoit Academy of Steelpan; Keylemanjahro School of Arts and Culture, La Dramatique Expression of School Theatre and the Lloyd Best Institute of the West Indies. For more info about the camps contact the Culture Division at