By Samantha Simon
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The future of Antigua and Barbuda’s art scene was on vibrant display Tuesday as young artists took center stage at the VC Bird International Airport for the announcement of the Art Week Student Competition winners.
The competition, a cornerstone of the second annual Art Week, showcased remarkable talent across three age categories, with winning pieces now featured in the airport’s “Expressions of Art and Fashion” exhibit.
Summer Goodwin of Christ the King High School emerged victorious in the 13-17 age category, followed by Alycia Alie from Antigua Girls’ High School and Shania Mckenzie, also from Christ the King.
In the 10-12 years grouping, Post Millennial Academy’s Liya Goodwin claimed first place, with Kelsey Cochrane of Pigotts Primary and Kalia Tittle of Antigua Seventh-day Adventist School taking second and third respectively.
The youngest category (7-9 years) saw Brena Haughton from St John’s Lutheran Primary School winning top honors, followed by Kai Need of Divine Academy and Genesis Clarke from St John’s Catholic Primary School.
The competition also recognised exceptional talent through honorary mentions in each category, with Jordan Holborough of St. Nicholas Primary School earning recognition in the 7-9 age group, Addis Howell Uzuki of Post Millennial Academy receiving the mention in the 10-12 category, and Kiara Tittle from Antigua Seventh-day Adventist School being acknowledged in the 13-17 age group.
Each of the young artists’ work demonstrated unique creative perspectives that caught the judges’ attention, even if they didn’t place in the top three positions.
“What really warms my heart is the school’s art competition,” said Colin James, CEO of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority. “Really nurturing the young talent… that’s the future.”
The judging process proved challenging, according to local artist and competition judge Ron Howell, also known as Guava de Artist.
“It was very tough. They had a lot of great entries. I wouldn’t wish anybody to be a judge for an art contest when it comes to the kids. Especially for the ones that didn’t make it… some of them could have been contenders,” he reflected.
In a special recognition of inter-island participation, Sir McChesney George High School in Barbuda received a $500 prize for their art department after submitting the most entries, highlighting the competition’s reach across both islands.
The winning pieces, along with other selected student submissions, will remain on display throughout Art Week at the airport’s “Expressions of Art and Fashion” exhibit, where visitors can purchase the artwork with proceeds benefiting the young artists.
The exhibition will then move to Ana’s Xmas Souk on December 1st, where all competition participants will have their work displayed in a celebration of emerging talent.
For Howell, the competition represents a crucial shift in local attitudes toward art education.
“This needed to happen really long time now,” he said, whilst sharing a personal story about past discouragements faced by young artists.
“In my society, in my era, it was discouraged not to do art,” Howell revealed during the event, but it was a recent incident that truly highlighted the ongoing challenges some young artists still face.
“Even up until recently, one of my kids faced a situation where a teacher grabbed his artwork that he was drawing and ripped it up right in front of him,” Howell recounted, his voice reflecting both disbelief and concern.
“I still got to have a conversation with her because I don’t know why she did that, but it was shocking to me to know that he faced the same thing I actually did as a kid, which is kind of messed up when right now, art is at the forefront, where it should have been a long time ago.”
The student competition forms part of a broader week-long celebration of arts and culture across the twin island nation, featuring exhibitions, performances, and workshops.
However, it’s the young artists’ achievements that have captured particular attention, promising a bright future for Antigua and Barbuda’s creative community.
The competition’s success aligns with Art Week’s expanded vision for 2024, which Marketing Communications Manager Maria Blackman describes as “evolving and growing very quickly.”
The week’s schedule includes exhibitions at multiple venues, including Key Studios, Bay Gardens, and the airport’s arrival hall where visitors can purchase artwork — including pieces from the student competition — throughout the event.
For many participating artists, like Makŏ Williams, who is showcasing her “Pieces of Infinity” and “365 Textures of Paradise” series after a long hiatus from the art scene, the event represents a crucial platform for local talent.
Adding international media presence to this year’s Art Week, the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority welcomed fourteen travel bloggers to capture and share the artistic vibrancy of the islands.
Alongside the travel bloggers, regional media representatives, including Paradis Magazine, will be on the ground creating content throughout the week-long celebration.
