Powerhouse delegation of creatives from SXM to CARIFESTA in Barbados

GREAT BAY--Head of the Department of Culture Clara Reyes on Thursday officially announced the St. Maarten delegation of artists, creatives, and cultural practitioners who will represent the country at CARIFESTA XV, set to take place in Barbados from August 22 to 31, 2025.

The delegation reflects the island’s dynamic and multidisciplinary creative scene, with representatives from fashion, film, visual and performance art, music, and spoken word.

The confirmed participants and contributors include:

• Zillah Duzon Hazel – Fashion and fabric designer

• Charisse Piper – Anthropologist, poet, and installation artist

• Lisandro Suriel – Photographer and filmmaker

• Kelvin “King James” James – Soca artist

• DJ King Kembe – Musician and DJ

• Faizah Tabasamu – Poet

• Lucinda “La’Rich” Audain – Interdisciplinary artist

• Peter Sagnia – Filmmaker (submitted works)

• Jonathan van Arneman – Dancer, choreographer, and filmmaker (submitted works)

Minister of Education, Culture, Youth, and Sport (ECYS) Melissa Gumbs emphasized the significance of St. Maarten’s participation:

“In terms of culture, we are on the way with plans for CARIFESTA where St. Maarten will be represented as it all unfolds in Barbados. We'll be showcasing St. Martin fashion, culture, film, art, and spoken word. I am looking forward to that.”

CARIFESTA XV will take place alongside Crop Over, We Gatherin’ 2025, and Barbados’ Season of Emancipation, making it a month-long celebration of Caribbean culture. The festival brings together artists and cultural practitioners from across the region to exchange ideas, build networks, and present their creative work on an international stage.

Reyes expressed pride in the diversity and talent within the delegation and underscored the Department’s ongoing commitment to supporting cultural ambassadors across generations and genres.

Festival Director and CEO of the Barbados National Cultural Foundation, Carol Roberts, described CARIFESTA as “the truest expression of our collective creativity, heritage, and culture… it is sacred, and it is world-class.”

St. Maarten’s presence at CARIFESTA XV marks not only a celebration of its rich cultural legacy but also a statement of its role in shaping the region’s creative future.

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