The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture 2025 National Arts Festival opened in Grand Bahama on March 25th at the City of Life Entertainment Centre with performances from students from schools throughout the island. (Photos/Courtesy Vandyke Hepburn)
GRAND BAHAMA, The Bahamas — For the next two weeks, all eyes are fixed on Grand Bahama Island for the 2025 E. Clement Bethel National Arts Festival at the City of Life Entertainment Centre which got underway on Tuesday, March 25.
The national signature event is staged annually by the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture (MYSC) and affords residents from islands throughout The Bahamas a platform to display their talent.
A wide range of performances from students of private and public schools include bands -- pop, jazz, rake ‘n’ scrape and junkanoo -- choral singing, solos, rhythm and blues, classical ballet, theatre, Broadway, folk, rap, film documentary, music videos, and even cheerleading.
MYSC Senior Cultural Affairs Officer and Organizing Secretary for the Festival Sonovia Pierre revealed that Grand Bahama’s participation every year is remarkable.
“Grand Bahama pretty much accounts for, I’d say it goes between 45 and sometimes some years as much as 55 per cent of the entire festival for the country. So Grand Bahama is always a huge showing,” she said.
The Arts Festival is open to all ages, from two, to adult.
Adjudicators from Nassau are on the island until April 4th, 2025, having already visited Eleuthera, Cat Island, Bimini and New Providence.
Pierre pointed out that as the Festival moves throughout the country they always discover jewels among the pool of talent which range from marching bands, to community and church groups, to kids playing the accordion.
“You find rare gems in places that you don’t expect to find. So we’re always pleasantly surprised,” she said.
The categories span from pre-school to community and Pierre is encouraging teachers and parents to give the students an opportunity to participate.
“This is not only for school-age children, it’s for every single person in this country,” Pierre stressed.
While the open category attracts mostly teachers, the Festival has had visual artists, such as muralists, photographers and shell jewelry creators, as well as the eldest entrant to-date, a 92-year-old man.
