With just two months until the Caribbean’s most anticipated cultural showcase, the 15th edition of CARIFESTA was officially launched on Thursday in a spirited ceremony at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre. Hosted by the Government of Barbados and the National Cultural Foundation (NCF), the event confirmed a bold and future-forward vision for this year’s festival under the theme Caribbean Roots, Global Excellence.
CARIFESTA XV will take place from August 22 to 31, 2025, with Bridgetown once again serving as the regional capital of culture. The launch was attended by members of the CARIFESTA Regional Cultural Committee, the National Organising Committee, CARICOM officials, artists, diplomats and senior government representatives.
Chairman of the NCF, Dr Jasmine Babb, who has been a central cultural figure in Barbados through Crop Over and Grand Kadooment, declared that “CARIFESTA is more than just a festival. It is a profound response to the pressing challenges we face as a region.”
Innovation at the Heart
This year’s staging aims to break new ground, with several firsts intended to increase accessibility, sustainability, and artistic opportunity:
-
Sustainability-Focused Planning: The organisers are pledging a new benchmark for environmentally responsible events in the Caribbean, with carbon emission tracking, sustainable venue design, and climate-conscious public engagement strategies embedded into the festival’s delivery.
-
Digital Integration: For the first time, CARIFESTA will feature a virtual platform with augmented reality, AI-generated content, and a dedicated mobile app for seamless registration, accreditation, and navigation. A CARIFESTA Live studio will also be introduced to allow for real-time collaboration among artists.
-
Inclusive Participation: The festival will introduce multilingual translation services, enhanced accessibility for persons with disabilities, including audio descriptions and sign language interpretation, and a stronger youth presence through a robust Youth Village.
-
Creative Economy Tools: Artists will be able to explore new income streams through NFTs and digital memorabilia, signalling a direct embrace of Web3 and digital asset innovation in cultural commerce.
Dr Babb said these enhancements were necessary not only to modernise the festival but to align with global calls for culture to be embedded in climate resilience and sustainable development strategies. “We gather at a crucial juncture,” she said. “CARIFESTA XV is a creative, sustainable, and inclusive vision of who we are and who we can become.”
Regional Unity and Resilience
Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Amor Mottley, appeared via video to reaffirm her government’s commitment to cultural leadership. Reflecting on the turbulence of recent years, including the global pandemic, climate threats, and economic upheaval, she noted: “We are no ordinary people. We carry the DNA of ancestors who survived the very worst.”
“This festival will not just celebrate, but ignite. Bring your joy, your stories, your dance, your food, your love. Barbados is ready, and the Caribbean must answer this call.”
Dr Hillary Brown, Programme Manager for Culture and Community Development at the CARICOM Secretariat, praised the evolution of the event and emphasised that innovation was not just technological but structural. “Steps have been taken with the staging of each CARIFESTA since 2006 to strengthen the management and organization of the festival to increase promotion of the event through new media channels and to increase the value of the event to artists. It is through the work of our artists, through our directors, who are here this week, the regional cultural committee. Through the interim festival directorate, the regional management body of CARICOM, our ministers of culture and so many more of our key stakeholders. It is through their advocacy and commitment that enables it to continue to thrive and to remain relevant to the people of the region through innovations such as scaling up the business component of the festival.”
Brown also commended the inclusion of youth programming and the commitment to accessibility, adding, “It is through the commitment of our artists, directors, and regional stakeholders that CARIFESTA continues to thrive.”
Montserrat’s Role Still in Limbo
Despite the regional enthusiasm, Montserrat’s participation is yet to be confirmed. The island has traditionally sent strong contingents to past editions, most notably in 2019 when artists across music, masquerade, literature, tech, and visual arts represented the island in Trinidad and Tobago. However, Kenneth “Rabo” Silcott, Director of the Montserrat Arts Council, has said that no funding commitment has been finalised for this year’s participation.
In the meantime, Montserratian creatives are encouraged to register independently via the CARIFESTA website at www.carifesta.net/registration, where applications remain open across disciplines including music, dance, literary arts, culinary arts, fashion, and film.
Find accommodations in Barbados here and AirBnB options and here.
Discover more from Discover Montserrat
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
