分类： entertainment

On July 24, 2026, a landmark cross-island cultural initiative reached a joyful milestone at Jersey’s Elizabeth Marina, where a one-of-a-kind collaborative public mural was officially unveiled to mark the end of the first phase of the historic Antigua and Barbuda–Jersey Art Exchange. The project, which has united emerging young artists from both island nations to celebrate shared cultural ties, creativity, and cross-border friendship through visual art, represents a deepening of the growing partnership between the two regions.

Three emerging student artists from Antigua and Barbuda — Joyce Murray-Watkins, Trinity Hughes, and Tse Pigott, all enrolled at the Antigua and Barbuda College of Advanced Studies (ABCAS) — traveled to Jersey to collaborate alongside local Jersey artists. The cross-cultural team worked under the creative guidance of Mark Brown, head of ABCAS’ Department of Fine Arts and Creative Studies, to bring the shared vision to life.

Centered on the evocative theme “Safe Haven Across the Sea,” the finished mural weaves together imagery that honors the parallel histories, distinct identities, and interconnected cultures of both island communities. Iconic local landmarks, native plant species, long-held cultural traditions, and the ocean that links the two territories all feature prominently in the large-scale public work.

This art exchange is just one component of the expanding bilateral partnership between Antigua and Barbuda and Jersey, which has grown in recent years to include collaborative work across education, leadership development, hospitality, sports, music, and creative industries. The collaboration will enter its second phase later this year, ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) set to be hosted in Antigua and Barbuda. For the next phase, three Jersey creatives — painter Max Corbett, artist and illustrator Aimée Cast, and filmmaker Toby Norman, who will document the entire creative process — will travel to Antigua and Barbuda to create a second public mural. They will partner with local Antiguan and Barbudan artists, with project coordination led by curator and facilitator Jacqueline Rutter and Mark Brown, who co-developed the creative framework for the full exchange.

Her Excellency Karen-Mae Hill, Antigua and Barbuda’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, praised the successful completion of the first phase of the initiative. “The unveiling of this mural is a wonderful celebration of what can be achieved when young people are brought together through creativity and cultural exchange,” she said. “Beyond the artwork itself, this project has fostered lasting friendships, encouraged deep mutual understanding, and further strengthened the longstanding relationship between our two nations. I join the Chair of the CHOGM 2026 Task Force the Honourable E.P. Chet Greene, Education, Science and Technology Minister the Honourable Daryll Matthew, ABCAS President Dr. E. Jonah Greene, all our project donors, in expressing how immensely proud we are of Joyce, Trinity and Tse for representing our nation with such extraordinary talent, professionalism, and enthusiasm.”

Reflecting on the transformative impact of the exchange for his students, Mark Brown shared that the opportunity had reshaped how the young Antiguan and Barbudan creators view cross-cultural connection through art. “This exchange has been a truly transformative experience for our students, providing them with the opportunity to immerse themselves in another culture, collaborate with fellow artists and see firsthand how art can build bridges between divided or distant communities,” Brown explained. “Every element of the mural was carefully chosen to celebrate the resilience, creativity and unique character of each place while highlighting our shared humanity as people connected by the sea.”

For participating young artist Tse Pigott, the experience expanded both her artistic practice and personal worldview. “This exchange has given me an opportunity to see a new part of the world and experience different styles of art and culture,” Pigott said. “Being exposed to the island of Jersey, and especially the people who call it home, enabled me to broaden my own perspective. The biggest inspiration for this project came from our fellow artists’ stories and their collaborative effort to learn all about Antigua and Barbuda.”

Fellow participant Trinity Hughes echoed that sentiment, noting that the collaboration reinforced her appreciation for both cross-cultural teamwork and her own cultural heritage. “Being part of the team of artists who painted this mural was an incredible experience,” Hughes said. “It gave us the opportunity to exchange cultures and learn about Jersey’s history and iconic landmarks, such as the cows, the castle and the lighthouse, which we incorporated into the mural. Working alongside artists with different styles taught me the value of collaboration, and the experience also made me appreciate my own culture even more.”

Joyce Murray-Watkins, the third participating Antiguan and Barbudan artist, described the experience as both deeply inspiring and professionally rewarding. “The trip was an amazing experience and opportunity that I was delighted to be a part of,” Murray-Watkins said. “The Jersey community was very welcoming and hospitable. As an artist, this trip allowed me to grow and create away from home, and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity.”

The groundbreaking art exchange would not have been possible without the generous financial and logistical support of a wide coalition of partners, including ArtHouse Jersey, the Government of Jersey, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, the Antigua and Barbuda College of Advanced Studies, the Antigua and Barbuda High Commission in London, Ambassador Sami Al-Mufleh, Ann Chapman-Daniel and Shiri Daniel of the Galleon Foundation, Alison Morgan and the JCG Foundation, participating host families, and all additional contributing partners and sponsors.

The twin-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda has landed three coveted spots on the 2026 World Travel Awards shortlist, all in romance-focused travel categories that highlight its reputation as a top getaway for couples and newlyweds.

The destination itself earned a nomination for Caribbean’s Leading Honeymoon Destination, joining 10 other regional shortlisted candidates that include Barbados, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, Jamaica, Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin, The Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Two of the nation’s standout resorts also picked up separate nominations for their romantic hospitality offerings.

Private getaway Jumby Bay Island is in the running for Caribbean’s Leading Wedding Resort, competing against nine other regional properties. Renowned honeymoon planner Renee Meyer has praised the private-island resort as an ideal pick for intimate, high-end weddings, noting its spacious multi-bedroom villas that can accommodate entire wedding parties comfortably.

The second nominated resort, Sandals Grande Antigua, is one of just eight properties shortlisted for Caribbean’s Leading Romantic Resort. It faces stiff competition from comparable luxury properties across the Caribbean, including venues in Jamaica, Nevis, Saint Barthélemy, the Dominican Republic, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

News of the three nominations was first highlighted in a Forbes article published this Tuesday, which focused on the Caribbean’s top options for wedding, honeymoon, and romantic travel. The Forbes feature only covered four specific romance-focused World Travel Awards categories, so it does not represent a full list of all nominations Antigua and Barbuda may have secured across the broader awards program. Winners for the highlighted categories are scheduled to be revealed this coming October.

The highly anticipated 2026 State Insurance Panorama, a cornerstone competition of Antigua Carnival 2026, is set to welcome eight top steel orchestras to Carnival City on Saturday, August 1, as they vie for the coveted national title.

Organized under this year’s Carnival theme “Feel the Rhythm,” the Antigua and Barbuda Festivals Commission has now published the full official performance order for the event, offering steelpan fans a first look at what to expect from the night’s lineup. Kicking off the competition will be Harmonites Steel Orchestra, who will take the stage first to perform a rendition of King Swallow’s iconic 1988 classic “Fire in De Back Seat,” arranged by Aubrey “Lacu” Samuel. Closing out the evening of competition will be Halcyon Steel Orchestra, set to deliver a take on Ricardo Drue’s recent hit “Bet,” arranged by Lorenzo Hodge.

A standout feature of this year’s repertoire is the wide span of Antiguan and Barbudan musical history it covers, stretching nearly 40 full years from King Swallow’s 1988 release to Claudette “CP” Peters’ brand new 2026 track “Pan Man Play,” which will be performed by two competing groups. This year’s event also highlights the growing diversity of voices in the steelpan community: Dr. Zahra Lake, arranger and captain of Pandemonium Steel Orchestra, makes history as the only woman holding both leadership roles across all eight participating groups this year. Another key contributor behind the scenes is noted instrument tuner and builder Veron Henry, who has prepared steelpans for six of the eight competing orchestras.

Cleofoster Harris, deputy director of the Antigua and Barbuda Festivals Commission, emphasized the unique significance of the annual Panorama event to the nation’s cultural calendar. “Panorama is the one night in the Carnival calendar where the country hears what a full year of work inside a panyard actually sounds like,” Harris explained. Beyond the on-stage performances, the Festivals Commission extended public recognition to every person involved in bringing the competition to life, from lead musicians and arrangers to instrument technicians, captains, and volunteer support teams, thanking them for their year-round dedication to safeguarding and growing Antigua and Barbuda’s beloved steelpan artistic tradition.

The full official performance order for the 2026 State Insurance Panorama is as follows: 1. Harmonites Steel Orchestra performing “Fire in De Back Seat” by King Swallow; 2. West Side Symphony performing “Stand Up for Antigua” by King Onyan; 3. Panache Steel Orchestra performing “Pan Man Play” by Claudette “CP” Peters; 4. Original Steel Orchestra performing “Pan Man Play” by Claudette “CP” Peters; 5. West Indies Oil Company Gemonites Steel Orchestra performing “Bet” by Ricardo Drue; 6. Pandemonium Steel Orchestra performing “Mad Mad Mad” by Claudette “CP” Peters; 7. Caribbean Union Bank Hells Gate Steel Orchestra performing “Bet” by Ricardo Drue; 8. Halcyon Steel Orchestra performing “Bet” by Ricardo Drue.

For attendees planning to attend the event, tickets are priced at EC$40, and are currently available for purchase at official ticket outlets across Antigua and Barbuda, as well as through the official event Ticketing App. The full 2026 Antigua Carnival celebration runs from July 25 to August 4, with Panorama marking one of the festival’s most high-profile annual events.

After a global pandemic derailed its original plans to host one of the Caribbean’s most celebrated cultural gatherings, Antigua and Barbuda is gearing up for a second chance — and top cultural officials say the nation is far more ready today than it was nearly three years ago.

Khan Cordice, the country’s Director of Culture, told local outlet ABS News that the twin-island nation is now in a far stronger position to welcome the Caribbean Festival of Arts, commonly known as CARIFESTA, than it was when it was first tapped to host the 15th edition of the event in 2021. That event was ultimately scrapped entirely amid sweeping global COVID-19 restrictions that put a halt to large-scale international gatherings across the region.

The green light for Antigua and Barbuda’s 2029 hosting bid was officially given during the 51st Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), held in Saint Lucia, where regional leaders accepted the country’s reallocated offer to stage the iconic cultural showcase.

Cordice emphasized that Antigua and Barbuda has long established a strong track record of dynamic, memorable representation at regional cultural events. Most recently, the nation sent a 105-person national delegation to last year’s CARIFESTA held in Barbados — the first full staging of the festival since 2019, following pandemic-related disruptions. Local cultural works, including original songs centered on national pride, highlight how deeply residents value the opportunity to share their unique cultural heritage with international audiences, he added.

“When we go into different spaces, we represent and show the world the best of what we have,” Cordice said of the country’s approach to regional cultural exchange.

A key asset that will elevate Antigua and Barbuda’s 2029 hosting capacity is the soon-to-be-completed National Performing Arts Theatre, a purpose-built venue that will allow the country to showcase a far broader range of artistic performances than would have been possible ahead of the originally scheduled 2021 festival. Even with the new infrastructure in place, Cordice noted that targeted training and capacity-building will be critical to ensure local cultural practitioners and technical teams can fully leverage the state-of-the-art facility.

“People would need to be trained, not just in running the theatre, but in how to apply themselves in the theatre if they are going to be using the space,” he explained.

The upcoming editions of CARIFESTA are already scheduled through the end of the decade: Guyana will host the 16th iteration of the festival in 2027, before Antigua and Barbuda steps into the host role two years later.