Update: No Hennessy Artistry Event Scheduled for This Year, Brand Manager Confirms Focus on Local Arts and Entertainment

There will be no Hennessy Artistry this year.

Senior brand manager at Bryden Stokes Ltd, the distributor of Hennessy in Barbados, Rasheed Wharton confirmed that the showcase which would normally be held in December would not be staged but there were plans to invest in the arts and entertainment.

“We’ve taken a hard decision this year to not do Hennessy Artistry. Hennessy is a community spirit and we can’t just do one big show and do a couple of other small events. We felt we should do the reverse – do a lot more smaller events and a couple of big shows.

“We decided to be a part of more locally relevant platforms and take part in local events a bit more than we did in the past,” he said.

When asked if the event would eventually return, Wharton said: “One of Hennessy’s major platforms is music. We have a collaboration with Nas and Alicia Keys for the premium part of the portfolio, so we will continue to play a part in music and the culture but not through Hennessy Artistry for this year.

“I can’t put a date to when it will return but, definitely, we will have some form of it in the future; maybe not the form that we know it as, but it will be back.”

Wharton spoke to the MIDWEEK NATION on Monday at Copacabana, Bay Street, The City, during the media launch of Twisted Entertainment’s Bim Tipsy, of which Bryden’s is an event sponsor.

Wharton suggested that their redirection paid off, especially during the Crop Over Festival.

“ Hennessy Artistry had around 10 000 to 16 000 people on one given night. We got a wider reach to more people. The impressions for Crop Over alone . . . we partnered with around 40 parties – that’s at least 2 500 to 5 000 and then Tipsy had around 15 000 on its own.

“We’ve already exceeded what we would have done for Artistry.”

Wharton said the track record of Twisted Entertainment, the most recent producer of Hennessy Artistry 2023, was one of the many reasons they decided to support its event. Last year’s event featured Ne-Yo, Beres Hammond and Koffee, who performed at

Kensington Oval.

“We have been in a long-standing partnership, we felt it fit to support [Twisted] in this venture, and being that [Twisted] was the last promoter that produced Artistry,

they know the blueprint,” he said.

During the media briefing representatives of Stansfeld Scott, Hanschell Inniss and Twisted also spoke about the return of Bim Tispy.

Director of Twisted, Zamani Moodie, said: “It’s been incredible to witness the growth of the brand.

“From its beginnings right here in Barbados, Tipsy has taken the Caribbean energy to stages in Miami, London, and beyond. But no matter how far we go, Barbados will always be the heart of Tipsy. This island is where it all started and it’s where we continue to create something truly unique and special,” Moodie said.

Jamaican dancehall artistes Dexta Daps, Masicka, 450, and Armanii are expected to perform.

Bajans Mole, Brutal Crankstar, Chiief Diin, and Idea The Artist are also due to take the stage at the

National Botanical Gardens on December 6.

Commercial manager for spirits at Stansfeld Scott, Ricardo Smith, said they were honoured that Piper-Heidsieck would be the official champagne sponsor for the affair.

“We believe in celebrating life’s most exciting moments. From the Oscars to global festivals . . . with over 240 years of excellence, Piper-Heidsieck is more than just bubbles in a glass. It’s a statement, a celebration and an experience,” Smith said.

Brand manager at Hanschell Inniss, Shari Boyce, said: “This collaboration has been more than just a business arrangement. It has been a journey of shared values, mutual respect and continuous growth. Together, we’ve not only kept the spirits flowing at unforgettable events but have also celebrated the vibrant culture and community spirit that define us.” (TG)