Antigua and Barbuda Makes Waves at CARIFESTA XV
photo by Department of Culture
Antigua and Barbuda has made a strong impression at CARIFESTA XV, the Caribbean’s premier cultural festival, with a vibrant showcase of music, dance, and art.
The legendary Burning Flames Band headlined Friday’s Super Concert, marking its 40th anniversary, while Panorama champions Hell’s Gate Steel Orchestra, Calypso Monarch Ge’Eve, and the National Combined Dance Theatre delivered standout performances over the weekend.
Director of Culture Khan Cordice said the delegation was designed to highlight “legacy acts, innovators, and young stars,” while Minister Daryll Matthew hailed the nation as a “cultural powerhouse.”
Beyond the stage, Antigua and Barbuda’s booth at the Grand Market has drawn steady crowds with crafts, cuisine, and promotions for Art Week 2025, Carnival 2026, and One Nation 2026.
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We, concerned citizens and cultural stakeholders, wish to draw attention to the continued delays in payments to service providers for Antigua and Barbuda’s 2025 Carnival and Independence celebrations. Musicians, stage crews, costume designers, lighting and sound technicians, and other professionals who made these events possible remain unpaid months after their work.
This year, over 100 individuals were funded to attend Carifesta abroad, yet those who delivered our national celebrations at home have been neglected. Service providers are professionals whose livelihoods depend on timely payment, and prolonged delays place them under severe financial strain.
We urge the National Festivals Commission and Ministry of Culture to resolve these payments immediately and implement a transparent system to prevent such issues in the future. Respecting and paying our cultural workers is not only a financial obligation—it is a matter of fairness and national pride.
Respectfully,
Concerned Citizens and Cultural Stakeholders