By Kisean Joseph
Reigning Queen of Carnival, Desrie Markham, is using her platform to amplify youth voices in the arts through a groundbreaking initiative called “Artbeat” aimed at recognising young creative talents across the island.
“Art is the voice of your soul,” Markham said, “It speaks to your truth, shares your story, and ultimately can inspire other people to find theirs.”
The initiative, which has been in development since 2019, emerged from Markham’s encounter with a passionate 15-year-old performer in Jamaica. The experience reminded her of her journey and the challenges young artists face in finding support and recognition.
“It’s easier to recognize the people who have been in the business for quite some time,” Markham explained. “But the young people who are just finding their way and just realizing that they’re enjoying this and they can make a life out of this, they don’t have the support and recognition that the older people have.”
Through her work with the National Youth Theatre, Markham has witnessed firsthand the transformative power of arts education. She shared the story of one student, who evolved from being “very sheltered, very shy” to winning an outstanding male improv award at the Secondary Schools Drama Festival.
“Just seeing how he could use his art to come alive on stage, it really inspired me to do more,” she said.
Markham emphasized that arts education builds more than just creative skills – it develops resilience and character. “There are going to be challenges. There are physical challenges, depending on what your art form is. There are the mental challenges that you have to face as well,” she noted. “If you aren’t resilient, then you won’t go anywhere with the art form and what you love.”
She also expressed concern about the current state of youth recognition in national awards. “I was at the ceremonial parade the other day and while these people are justified in getting these awards, none of these people are under 50,” she observed, pointing out that few existing awards criteria focus on artistic achievement.
Markham envisions Artbeat evolving into a national movement. She hopes to secure sponsorship to publicly recognize young artists and sees potential for collaboration with the Ministry of Education or the Festivals Department for annual recognition of youth achievement in the arts.
Her message to young artists is to remain steadfast, “Stay true to your passion The real success stories come from the people who are not only passionate about what they do, but love what they do so much that they can’t imagine a life without it.”
Markham aims to ensure that young people feel valued and supported in their creative pursuits by creating safe spaces for artistic expression and encouraging open dialogue. “What young people need now more than ever, and especially coming out of COVID, is a space where they can feel heard,” she emphasized.
Markham remains committed to fostering an environment where youth creativity can flourish, ensuring that the arts remain a vital force in shaping Antigua’s cultural future.
