2024 Junior Masquerade Project: Nurturing Cultural Traditions Through Corporate Partnerships

In these trying times, corporate partners are essential for the execution of cultural programmes targeted towards our youth.

That is why The National Cultural Foundation was full of praise for the Sandy Lane Charitable Trust and Abed’s for their contributions to its 2024 Junior Masquerade Project.

The Junior Masquerade Project aims to preserve the cultural tradition of costume-making and masquerading throughout various schools and community groups across the island.

The programme gives participants first-hand experience in masquerade.

The Junior Masquerade Project is now in its 22nd year having started in 2002. In the early years, the NCF project targeted four or so schools annually. It has now grown to involve 10 schools and three community groups.

These schools and community groups will be part of Saturday’s Junior Kadooment. They are: Eagle Hall Primary, Ellerton Primary, Wesley Hall Infants, Grantley Adams Memorial, Pinelands Creative Workshop, Selah Primary, Hindsbury Primary, Arthur Smith Primary, Haynesville Youth Club, Shirley Chisholm Primary, Roland Edwards Primary, Erdiston Special School and Weston United Stars Community Club.

At the project’s launch, held recently at the Erdiston Special School, Chief Cultural Officer of the National Cultural Foundation (NCF), Andrea Wells, expressed gratitude for their financial support, describing it as “priceless.”

“It’s really shaping up to be an exciting year and we are thrilled to welcome our sponsors along for the experience,” she said.

Nekei Grant, project coordinator of the Sandy Lane Charitable Trust shared how the project aligned with the trust’s primary goal of leaving no child in need or behind.

She spoke to the charity’s long involvement in cultural projects like Junior Kadooment, where bands would come to them directly for sponsorship, but wanted to foray into a larger contribution on a national level.

So when the opportunity to assist the NCF, the organisation provided a generous donation towards the project and the Youth Volunteer Programme.

“Recognising the impact of both programmes and what they would have on our youth . . . . And in celebrating the NCF’s 50 years and [SLCT’s] upcoming 20-year anniversary, I’m pleased to announce that we decided to ascertain title sponsorship for both categories for $50 000 Barbados dollars. We had to come together and do this for the children of Barbados.”

She added: “We all have a role to play in the growth and the development of our nation’s children and these two programmes conceptualised by the NCF are a step in the right direction . . . we look forward to hearing of your success and your achievements. We all stand here with one common goal: Improving the lives of Barbadian children.

Abed’s, which is celebrating 60 years of business, is continuing its long-standing relationship with the NCF through sponsorship.

“For 50 years we have been intrinsically linked with the NCF and Crop Over and we are delighted to be working with them again, supporting bands and designers and getting children involved,” said Nikita Abed-Chaplen, brand director of Abed’s.

She maintained the retailer’s support to preserving our cultural heritage through a donation of $20 000 and lending support in costume making, fabric selection, designing and decorating.

“I think there is no better way than this project to do that.

And we couldn’t be prouder and happier to be a part of Crop Over 2024,” she added.

The chief cultural officer thanked both project sponsors for their assistance throughout this year’s execution.

“What is to be commended also is that both of these corporate partners are on board from the culmination of the project. Not just for training but for the celebration at Junior Kadooment event,” Wells said.

She also praised them for uniting with the NCF under one common goal: keeping cultural traditions alive.

“All these young people who are interested in the arts, those who become interested in preserving our rich heritage, and those who love masquerade are given the support to learn these skills and to be a part of this journey. The involvement of our children, our nation’s future, is the most vital part of this exercise,” the NCF officer explained. (PR)