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Interest in the arts and culture has
grown in the Islands in recent
years. The renewed focus is on
preserving the traditions and art
forms unique to Cayman as well as
developing new avenues and talents.
The education curriculum in local
public schools, at the secondary
level, the opportunity to become
involved in extracurricular
activities in drama and dance. An
annual National Children's Festival
of the Arts is staged each year to
feature the talents of young
students. In 1996, the Ministry of
Culture launched an annual arts
festival, Cayfest, to showcase local
artists and traditions. It is held
every April and is a month-long
exposition which includes
competitions in the visual,
performing, literary, and culinary
arts. It begins with a traditional
Caymanian boat launching, and
continues with art shows, drama
presentations, and music and dance
reviews which tour throughout the
districts. The Cayman National
Cultural Foundation (CNCF) oversees
several aspects of arts and culture
development in the islands. It is a
privately and governmentally funded
body which sponsors programmes in
the visual, performing and literary
arts. The CNCF manages the Harquail
Theatre, where it stages its own
productions in addition to renting
out to other groups. Such events
include the National Children's
Festival of the Arts, beauty
pageants, art and jewelery displays,
dance recitals, and church concerts.
The CNCF runs an annual National
Playwriting Competition and stages
the winning play at the Harquail. In
addition to this, the foundation
runs several training programmes in
artistic disciplines, including an
annual playwriting workshop, and an
ongoing cultural youth group - Young
at Arts.
Each year, the CNCF also gives
grants and scholarships to
individuals and groups to pursue
arts courses, develop programmes,
mount exhibits, and create works.
Another body assisting local artists
is the Cayman Islands National
Gallery and Art Institute. This was
formed in 1996 and will include art
instruction among its programmes
aimed at encouraging the development
of contemporary Caymanian art. In
addition to these bodies, there are
societies and groups devoted to
specific art forms. These include
the Cayman Drama Society, the Cayman
National Choir, the Visual Arts
Society, and Cayman's national dance
company - Dance Unlimited. The wide
availability of television, either
by rented videotapes or by direct
reception from satellite relays, has
had its effect on entertainment
habits in the islands, just as it
has elsewhere, but there remains a
lively range of alternatives for
spare time recreation. For those
loyal to the big screen, there are
two comfortable, air-conditioned
cinemas off the main road between
George Town and West Bay. Not far
away, the Harquail Cultural Centre
is evidence of local enthusiasm for
the live theatre. The Cayman Drama
Society, which presents several
plays each year, has its own modern,
air-conditioned purpose-built
facility, the Prospect Playhouse,
located in the Red Bay area. There
are several night spots on Grand
Cayman, providing entertainment from
jazz and piano, to disco and calypso
music. On Cayman Brac, the hotels
are the main centers for night-time
activity. Sporting and other events
are held most weekends and on the
ten public holidays spread through
the year. There are public libraries
on Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac
which have a large selection of
periodicals, fiction and historical
material.
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