The Caribbean music scene is set for a major showcase of Dominican cultural heritage this September, as the government of Dominica, through the Ministry of Tourism and the Discover Dominica Authority (DDA), has stepped forward as the official sponsor of the 2026 Caribbean Music Awards’ Bouyon Award categories. This strategic partnership, announced via a DDA press release, is designed to celebrate the genre’s deep roots in Dominica while shining a global spotlight on the island nation known as the ‘Nature Island’ to regional and international audiences.
This year’s Caribbean Music Awards will take place on Saturday, September 19, at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Eight Dominican acts have earned nominations in two of the most hotly contested categories tied to the island’s signature genre: Asa Bantan, Dirty Dawg Pudaz, Mr. Ridge, Reo, Shelly & Signal Band, Trilla G, Shiloh, and Khallion are all in the running for Bouyon Artist of the Year and Bouyon Song of the Year.
In remarks from the DDA release, Dominica’s Tourism Minister Hon. Denise Charles-Pemberton emphasized the unique cultural significance of the partnership. “Bouyon is distinctly Dominican, and its continued growth across the Caribbean and internationally creates important opportunities for our artistes, our creative sector and our country,” she said. “The Government of Dominica is committed to supporting platforms that elevate Dominican talent, expand the reach of our cultural products and strengthen the contribution of our creative industries to tourism and economic development. Our partnership with the Caribbean Music Awards is an investment in the continued growth and international visibility of a genre that was created right here in Dominica.”
Prince Forde, co-founder of the Caribbean Music Awards, echoed this sentiment, noting that the collaboration will help amplify Dominica’s musical legacy and national story across the Caribbean and beyond. “We’re proud of the work Dominica is committed to around music, culture and community, and we share a similar vision for how these powerful forces can connect people, celebrate identity and create opportunities,” Forde explained. “We’re proud to amplify Dominica’s sound and its story, bringing them to audiences across the Caribbean and around the world.”
Beyond sponsorship of the award categories, the partnership includes a range of pre-event promotional activities, headlined by the “Experience Dominica’s World Creole Music Festival” Giveaway. One lucky winner will receive an all-inclusive vacation package to Dominica that covers round-trip airfare, accommodation, ground transportation, and tickets to the iconic festival.
The giveaway builds anticipation for the 26th World Creole Music Festival, which is scheduled to run October 23–25 at Windsor Park Sports Stadium. The annual event will feature a diverse lineup of Dominican, Caribbean, and international artists spanning genres from Bouyon, cadence-lypso, and konpa to soca, reggae, and dancehall. Following the festival, Dominica’s popular Mas Domnik, the Real Mas carnival, will take place February 8–9, 2027.
The DDA notes that it is pairing its sponsorship with targeted destination marketing, media outreach, stakeholder engagement, and on-site promotional activations surrounding the awards. The overarching goal is to turn the growing international visibility of Bouyon music into greater awareness of Dominica as a top travel destination and increased interest from prospective visitors.
Now in its latest iteration, the Caribbean Music Awards was founded to honor outstanding contributions from artistes and music professionals across the Caribbean region, celebrating the diversity and global impact of Caribbean musical heritage.