Art teachers in Antigua and Barbuda will get the opportunity to expand their skill sets in the coming months through a three-month certification course.
The project is a partnership between the Halo Foundation, Jumby Bay Fund, The G Art Gallery in Piccadilly, and the Royal Drawing School in the UK and will provide local teachers with the opportunity to learn contemporary art techniques and develop new ways to incorporate them into the existing art curriculum.
“This will create an alternative avenue for us to showcase and highlight the talent of our local artists —and will foster a greater appreciation for the arts,” said the Halo Foundation’s President Lady Williams.
“The training offered will augment our home-grown creative talent, and hopefully not only hone the skills of art teachers in schools, but entice young, interested artists to tap into employment opportunities within the creative industry.”
The course, which will run from September to December 2021, will facilitate the collaboration of two artists from the Royal Drawing School with local Antiguan artist, Anson Henry, to administer a series of workshops aimed at the development of visual arts education in the twin island nation.
In addition to the strengthening of skills, the Halo Foundation will award a grand prize of a five-day stay in London to the participating teacher with the most impressive submissions by that school’s students to Halo’s annual Christmas Art Competition.
Pieces from the workshop will also be on display at the 2022 opening of the Sir Selvyn Walter Art Gallery in Government House for its first exhibition.
According to its website, “The Royal Drawing School is an independent, not-for-profit resource that aims to raise the standard and profile of drawing through teaching and practice. [It is] one of only a few institutions in the world offering in-depth, quality tuition in drawing from observation.”
Approximately 20 teachers from primary and secondary schools, both private and public, have already enrolled in the programme.
The Royal Drawing School instructors will be flown to Antigua by the Halo Foundation in August for the start of the project.