ARTS & MUSIC FESTIVAL

The Caribbean context

Across the developing world there is a pervasive sentiment that far more needs to be done to engage youth and ensure their adequate integration as productive members of society.

The Caribbean region is no exception, as many islands continuously fail to recognize the strong ties between investing in youth and achieving development aims. This is evidenced by, in part, poor recognition of youth concerns in official National and Regional Policies, persistent youth unemployment and underemployment as well as failure to ensure social security for this growing portion of the populous.

The Caribbean Development Bank estimates that youth unemployment in the Caribbean region exceeds 25%, dwarfing the 8% rate for adults. It is important to halt considering these matters as peripheral or inconsequential since they directly impinge on development and economic advancement for the respective countries.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) asserts that youth unemployment directly contributes to crimes and violence, which are, in turn, “bottlenecks to growth in the Caribbean.” In 2017, the IMF estimated that disenfranchised youth were responsible for 80% of prosecuted crimes in Caribbean countries. Statistics such as these emphasize the need to critically engage youth populations across the Caribbean region and ensure that intervention strategies have their desired effect.

The benefits of arts and music

Substantial research studies have been done to highlight the fact that there are substantive developmental benefits of music and art for the educational advancement of youth.  It increases motor skills, aids in language development, helps develop positive decision making abilities, strengthens visual and listening abilities, expands inventiveness, facilitates cultural awareness, and leads to increased academic performance.

Your support will go a long way in contributing to the expansion of music and arts education in disadvantaged communities.

Imagine a generation of children who have the knowledge of the similarities in vision and experience between them and their global brothers and sisters. It can help break down barriers of fear as well as decrease the feeling of hopelessness.  Once youth see the positive overcoming of challenges of their counterparts with similar backgrounds and experiences, it will help empower them to do more, be more and dream more. Your support can make it happen.